Draco's Peril
by TheAssassinFrom12
Summary: When the war at Hogwarts is finally over, the Death Eaters take over London, creating a series of Games in honor of Lord Voldemort that take up six Tributes from each Hogwarts house to compete in the second anual Hunger Games. Story is from Draco's POV. Contains slash - Harry/Draco - Don't like, don't read. Rated M for gore.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own _The Hunger Games _or _Harry Potter_ Everything is fanbased.

_**Draco's Peril**_

_**Part I – The Tributes**_

Chapter 1 – The Reaping

Not being able to sleep is a nightmare in itself – for me at least, but going to the Reaping is just a living Hell! I keep telling myself to stop thinking about it, but it still doesn't help my nerves. How can I sleep knowing the Reaping is just hours away?

Oh, right… I should probably explain what the Reaping is exactly, since you're all probably confused already. Ever since the fall of Voldemort and the last year at my school, Hogwarts, things back home haven't been the same since. The Death Eaters have composed a dark plan to keep the misery going, (Like it wasn't bad enough). After they proclaimed _my _father, Lucius Malfoy to become president a set of Games were invented. These said Games take 6 tributes from each Hogwarts house to compete in what's called The Hunger Games to fight to the death. Scared yet? You can turn back now if you want, I don't really care. But to the rest of you who don't want to stop reading – good luck! Don't say I didn't warn you.

Anyway, no magic is allowed. If a tribute _does_ decide to use magic or even _attempts_ to sneak their wand in the arena, they will automatically lose the Game and get brutally killed by the Capitol themselves. Every year each Witch and Wizard from Hogwarts, between the ages of 12 and 18 are called to the London square, which is where the tributes' names are drawn, and every year their names are added once more, which gives you a higher risk of being picked. Oh! And guess what the fun part of this is? This is my favorite: It's _all _broadcasted on live television so everyone can see! Yeah, I said it; every death, interview, blood bath, _everything. _They leave nothing out.

Was I clear? Good, because I'm not going through it again.

I must have fallen asleep, because the next time I open my eyes it's morning. I'm rather calm at first, but then I realize what day it actually is. My stomach lurches at the thought, and I pull my covers over my head with a groan. I really feel like I'm living a nightmare. Suddenly there is a loud knocking on my bed room door. _Whoever it is, leave me alone_.

"Draco, get up! You need to get ready." My mother yells from the other side of the door. Urgh! The Reaping isn't until one o'clock in the afternoon, so _why _is she waking me up now?!

I was just a bout to doze off when I realize I actually slept until 11:30. So – still half dead – I get up to take a shower and met my _wonderful_ family downstairs. Since my father is the president now, he's been too busy to leave his office. I try to ignore him as I walk by to get to the kitchen, but he still manages to speak to me. "You don't know how it's killing me to put your name down…" He says.

Yeah, whatever! I know he can probably care less. I don't even answer him, instead I Lower my head to make it look like I didn't just hear him before I go meet my mother in the kitchen. She's cooking something by the smell, but honesty, I feel way too sick to eat and the smell of food makes me feel like I'm about to puke. "Hungry?" She says, trying to sound calm. I know my mother and I can't ignore the fear in her tone. I just shake my head.

"You're awfully quiet this morning."

I nod. I'm really not in the mood for conversation. "Well, we need some groceries and your father is busy as usual." She hands me a pouch of money.

Oh, come on; don't make me do your damn shopping!

"Mind going out before the Reaping starts?" Yes! I do mind, let me go back to sleep!

What was I supposed to do? We're all freaking out so I just take the money and head outside, where I meet my friend Pansy, holding up a fist like she was ready to knock on the door. I like her and all, but I'm not in the mood to act like I'm happy to see her. "Draco. Hi!" She says.

"Hey." I say in a flat voice.

"Where you off to?"

Oh, here we go, now she wants to follow me around. "Some shopping." I say.

"Can I come along?"

"Sure."

Muscles tense and mind going every which way, I'm being rather quite the whole walk, which I guess wouldn't matter anyway since the streets are full of people who – considering the circumstances – are too scared to speak. The street is rather quiet too. The occasional car would drive by, but other than that, nothing. Even the shops and houses on the side walk we're walking on is like part of a ghost town."You're really down today… I mean I know you're not the happiest person, but lighten up! We won't get picked! And if we do, we go in there with the thought that Slytherin won last year, and we can win again." Pansy says. I wasn't really expecting her to talk, but whatever.

I just smirk, remembering the _no magic is allowed_ rule. Well, someone broke that rule last year and it was a Slytherin, "Yeah, except for that one kid who used magic and got his limbs ripped off." I shudder at the thought, "Ugh…"

Pansy smiles and grabs my arm, "Well, either way, I'm sure we'll all be fine."

"_All_?"

"You know what I mean, Dray. Oh look, here's the store." We finally make it to a small side corner shop and she decides run on ahead of me. My thoughts are going every which way and I know I'm being slow. When I finally catch up to her, she actually drags me by the arm so I wouldn't lag behind, causing me to stagger to keep up with her.

As soon as we set foot in the store, I already see something I don't really like. "What is it now, Dray?" Pansy asks. I guess she can read my expression…

"_He's_ here!" I say, nodding my head over to the meat isle where Ron Weasley is dragging his friends Hermione and Harry to. All that ginger does is _eat_! How he can even eat right now is beyond me, then again, I never did and never will understand him.

"Oh, Harry? You still got beef with him?"

I sigh, "Never mind, let's just get what we need to and leave."

As we look and walk around the store, I suddenly feel someone grab my shoulder. I give a little jump before turning around to see Goyle behind me. "Hey! You guys ready for the Reaping?"

Ugh… Go away. I just roll my eyes and roughly shrug my shoulder out of his grasp, "Not funny." I say irritated.

Goyle and Pansy share looks, "I was only kidding. But I can't wait to see those stupid Hufflepuffs-"

"I said it's not funny, okay!? What about this situation makes you so excited? The fact that everyone is dying for no reason? Or the fact that your just an insane git?" I snap. Really I'm _not_ in the mood for this bullshit right now. Besides, Goyle and I haven't exactly seen eye to eye ever since sixth year. I try to ignore him for the most part, but usually when he talks I get the sudden urge to punch him in his fat face.

"Watch it, Malfoy. You're lucky this isn't the Games otherwise I would have just gutted you." I blink. What!? What, did he just say to me?

"Goyle! Leave him alone." Pansy says. "We're all scared; can you just lay off it?"

Oh, good, at least someone sticks up for me. I give Pansy a grateful look for that and she smiles back at me.

Finally, I'm ready to cash this crap out and go home, but as I'm walking to the counter I bump into a certain someone I'm _really_ not in the mood to see. Harry Potter. He didn't even seem to be paying any sort of attention to where he was going since he and Ron were laughing the whole time. I just huff. "Oh. Draco…" Harry says. Ron's smile fades from his face when he notices me. Hermione just looks at me with watchful eyes as if I'm a criminal. "Sorry." I mutter, breaking eye contact and just letting Harry go on ahead of me. Weird thing is, he actually gives me a soft smile as if saying thank you, but afraid to say it out loud. I think if Ron and Hermione weren't here he would have actually talked to me.

"Oh, there's Blaise!" Goyle says, "You guys go, I'll catch up later."

I notice Pansy watching him leave before she grabs onto my arm, "What's going on with you two?"

"Who?" I ask.

"You and Goyle?"

"N-Nothing he's just… I don't know. He scares me lately, like he wants to get picked just so he can kill people. Does that sound weird?"

Pansy smirks, "Yes! Draco, Goyle, has been your best friend since first year. There's no reason he would hurt you or anyone."

"You heard what he said! 'If this were the Games, I would have just gutted you.' That kind of scares me…"

"Oh, come on! You know, Goyle, he kids around in ways he shouldn't sometimes. You both lost your cool for a moment but it's okay; we're all nervous, Dray, you need to calm down."

I don't know. Maybe she's right, but Goyle hasn't been the same ever since we got home. He's been more… I don't know he's just been different, especially around me. Finally Harry leaves the counter with one brief look over his shoulder at me. Did he hear what Pansy and I said? Judging by the look on his face, he did. Actually, he was rather quiet while we were talking. Why would he just decide to ease drop? That's annoying…

I feel Pansy push me along to the counter, causing me to break eye contact with Harry. I sigh. What time is it, now? I notice a little clock behind the cashier's head that reads 12:30. Wait, _12:30_?! The Reaping starts in a half hour!

"12 Gallons." Where is this voice coming from, now? Am I going crazy on top of it all?

I pick my head up and see the cashier staring at me. "What?" I ask.

He holds out his hand, "12 Gallons, boy."

"Oh, yeah…" Take the damn money so I can go home!

Finally, we can leave.

"Draco, stop walking so fast! First you walk too slowly, now you're practically running!" I hear Pansy yell from behind me.

"We have a half hour."

"So!? Draco, the square is only 15 minutes away! We'll be there on time…"

"We just wasted enough time. I want to get this over with. I'll see you at the Reaping."

As soon I get to the Manor, I pretty much slam the door in her face, I feel bad in away, but she knows I'm freaking out. Whatever, she'll understand.

"Draco! There you are!" My mother says, dragging me into the kitchen, snatching the bag from my hand, and begins to fix my hair like it matters! I yank my head away, "Mom, it's just the Reaping, why do I have to 'look good' if I'm just gonna get picked to die?"

"Leave him be." My dad says in a cold voice. "He won't even get picked…"

"You never know with these games, his name has already been in there twice, that's twice the chance."

"A-And if I do get picked…?" I dare ask. The kitchen got dead silent. I shift a bit, wishing I could read my father's mind because judging by his expression, what he's about to say is far from anything I would want to hear.

"Let's just say – if you do get picked – Slytherin wouldn't have a victor."

I try swallowing the lump in my throat, but it feels like I'm suddenly suffocating. What was_ that_ supposed to mean? Okay, I know I wouldn't win by the off chance I get picked, but hearing my own father say so as well? I mean, you would think that a parent would try to stay positive about the situation even if they secretly knew it would end badly. Not only that, the way he said it just sounded so heartless.

"We need to go." My father says, taking his lead to leave the Manor.

The _whole_ walk to the square is hell! I have to listen to my father complain about me being late and that I'm the reason he has to scramble to get things ready the last minute. Oh, well, _excuse me_! I didn't want to leave the house! "I'm the president, if anything we should be the first to arrive but_ you_ had to come home late." Oh, give me a break, already. He makes it sound like he has it worse than me. It's not like he has to stand around for an hour waiting to get called to just get killed! Of course, I say nothing. Arguing will only make me even more tense.

When we finally get to the square there are already hundreds of Hogwarts students lined up with their houses.

"Draco." I hear a voice from behind. I turn around to see Pansy running up to me. Good, at least I'm with someone so I won't feel so alone. "Hey. Nervous?"

I take a deep breath, "Let's just get this over with…"

My mother and father both decide to leave us since my dad needs to ready his announcement about the Games, and to also welcome the new head Game Keeper for this year. Basically Game Keepers are people who add random obstacles in the Games to make them harder and more interesting. Apparently every year there's a new head Game Keeper, but since this is only the second year of the Games, I'm not 100% sure how it works yet.

We both get in the Slytherin line that leads to a long table of people who have you write down your name and prick your finger for blood – kind of like an ID check.

Next to the Slytherin line is the Gryffindors. Harry's among them and turns his head, again, to look at me. I face him but shift my eyes away when the woman at the tale ahead of me yells, "Next!" Her sharp tone makes me jump.

After I writing my name down comes the fun part. I give my hand to her and he she pulls it toward her, making me stagger forward. She pretty much stabs – I mean_ stabs_ my finger, it feels she's trying to pull my whole damn hand off. I wince a bit, since the she's nowhere near gentle with how she takes my blood. After I pull back I whip the remaining blood on my sleeve. "Next" She scowled as she shooed me away. Well than! I'd like to stab your hand and see how you like it, lady!

Anyway, I can't find my friends, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle, (If he even is my friend anymore) so I follow Pansy to the middle of the Slytherin crowd in front of the stage.

As quickly as we get there the ceremony is already starting. I'm still trying to stop my finger from gushing blood when I hear a soft giggle from the stage. I look up to see Dolores Jane Umbridge standing at the microphone, wearing pink, as usual, and carrying on her perky smile. She reminds me of a huge, pink marshmallow that only puffs up even more when you put it in the microwave. Oh and there's my father standing behind her along with three other people sitting against the wall: Mad Eye Moody was among them, since he is probably head Game Keeper, also Gildroy Lockheart, who is the interviewer of the Games and Severus Snape. Well, they have, I guess you can say, interesting people this year.

"Welcome! Welcome, everybody," Umbridge announces in her cheerful tone. The square is so quiet and awkward with nervous people that her voice can probably carry all the way to America. This only makes it worse for me. How could she be _so_ happy at a time like this? I mean, I know Umbridge is _always_ happy. She probably kicks puppies to get a good laugh. "to the second annual Games!" She continues. "Before we begin, I would like to introduce you to Mad Eye Moody – well, you all know who Mad Eye is, don't we?" She gives a soft chuckle, bot no one seems to care – we're all dead silent. "Mad Eye is our new head Game Keeper for this year! Anything that goes crazy in the arena, you can be sure it was his idea!

"Now! I would like to turn this over to President, Lucius Malfoy, for his speech." She backs up to hand the microphone over to my father as he clears his throat. No one even cares about the speeches or the perky attitudes! They just wanted to get this over with!

"Good afternoon." Jeez, he almost sounds as cheerful as Umbridge! What is this? He was so serious when we left the Manor, now he's just putting on this cheesy little act! Well, I don't like it. I honestly can't tell if it's fake or if he really is happy about this.

"As you all know, the Games were founded by the Death Eaters in honor of Lord Voldemort."

Don't even say his name! This is far from amusing!

"We all know, you're probably anxious, nervous, some of you even excited…"

"_Excited?" _I muttered. "Dray…" Pansy whispers by my side. I don't even bother to answer her or even turn my head; my eyes are glued to that stage, shocked by what I'm seeing and hearing. My father seems to find this all amusing or maybe just interesting. People are dying for no reason yet he's putting on this big act! Just stop it, stop it right now.

"I'm sure Voldemort would be very pleased if he were here today, but due to some unfortunate events…" His eyes drifted over to the Gryffindor line and I follow his gaze and managed to spot Harry in the crowd, returning my father evil glare. Apparently he isn't happy with this either and looks like he wants to rip my dad's throat out. "Voldemort is not here…" He says, turning back to the crowd, "So make him proud! Now, Umbridge would you do the honors of drawing the names?"

"Certainly." She says cheerfully as she takes the microphone, and moves over to the name table where four bowls for each house are set up. "We'll start with Gryffindor!" Here we go. At least I can calm down a bit since Slytherin is always last, but she's taking her blessed time digging through those names, circling her hand around the rim of the bowl, trying to be dramatic. Oh, God, hurry up! Seriously, my heart is beating so fast it can probably be heard through the awkward silence of this square.

_Finally,_ Umbridge pulls out a small piece of paper with a smile, unfolds it and reads the name, "Hermione Granger!" What!? Hermione? Why her?

I can see her in the Gryffindor section. She looks petrified but she manages to snake out of the crowd. Ron is there looking like he wants to jump out of line and pull her back to him. Just looking at his face – I can't help but feel terrible. My heart actually acts for both of them, and I don't know why. I spent most of my life hating most of the Gryffindors, but it might just be this situation.

"Oh, this is gonna be good, eh, Draco?" Pansy says with a smirk. No, I'm not answering her. This isn't good, this is bad. Why doesn't anyone get this? Am I the only sane person here!?

Poor Hermione. I've honestly never seen her this scared. "Congratulations, Miss. Granger!" Umbridge says when she gets to the sage, shaking Hermione's hand and gesturing her to the Gryffindor spot on the stage.

Pansy smirks again, "I can't wait to see that Mudblood get gutted!" I nudge her. Just _shut up_ "What? Jeez, Draco, you're no fun anymore…"

Umbridge went ahead in pulling out the next name, "Ginevra Weasley!" Really? Ron's sister? I lean over to look at the Gryffindors and spot Ginny. She's completely frozen, making everyone turn heads at her for not getting out of line. "Now, where are you, dear?" I hear Umbridge say from the stage. Hermione has a look of horror on her face. Hesitantly, Ginny steps out of line, slowly walking to the stage as if awaiting a miracle to save her.

Suddenly a voice calls out from the Gryffindor crowd and Ron jumps out of line. My stomach jumps, "Ginny!" He yells. His sister froze and spun around on the stairs before she could even set a foot on the stage. He tries to run to her, but a few guards from the stage pull him back. He's trying to fight them off though. Well, obviously this causes a lot of attention. I've never gotten into a serious fight with Ron, but I'll be honest when I say I don't want to. He doesn't seem like the nicest person when he's mad and he can probably snap my neck with one hand.

"Stupid, boy!" Pansy mutters, "What does he think he's doing!?"

"No, let me go!" Ron yells still trying to fight those guards off of him. I don't tell Pansy but I'm secretly rooting for him. "Wait!" He suddenly says as if a thought just stuck him and he manages to shake the guards off, somehow, or they just let him go. "I…I'll take her place …"

Wait. What?!

Ginny shakes her head and I can see her eyes getting glassy from where I'm standing.

"You what?" Umbridge asks, trying to keep her cheerful expression but I can hear the hint of shock in there. "I volunteer… For my sister." Ron says. What _is_ he doing? Is he actually going in his sister's place? You know, I'm not even surprised. It does seem like something Ron would do.

"Well, a volunteer!" Umbridge says, getting her usual expression back, "Come up here then!"

"No, Ron don't do this!" Ginny screams. Now she's crying. She tries to run after him as he steps to the stage, only for Harry to jump out of the crowd and try to pull her back in line. I follow Ron up the stage with my eyes. His head is down and he looks like he's trying to fight back tears as he blocks out his sister's yelling. _Don't cry, Ron_ I tell myself, though I wish I can tell _him_.

_You'll look weak. _"No, stop! Ron! Please, don't take my brother!" Ginny cries, trying to force Harry back until she finally breaks down, turning into him and burring her face into his chest to cry. He pulls her back in line but Ginny's sobs can still be heard in the awkward silence.

Umbridge does the same thing to Ron as she did to Hermione when he enters the stage: Congratulating him and all that bullshit stuff. After that, Ron takes his spot next to Hermione. "Well, now that was interesting!" Umbridge says, going back to the bowls, "Now, who's next?"

"Seamus Finnigan!" Umbridge announces.

"Oh, no!" Pansy says, "Not him, he'll blow up the whole arena."

"Nervous, now?" I sneer, really getting annoyed with her.

Pansy blinks, "Don't be silly! If anything he'll blow himself up. At least that's one tribute the others won't have to worry about, right?"

I just roll my eyes before bringing my attention to Seamus as he goes up to the stage. "This is torture…" I mutter, "How much longer until they get to Slytherin?" I really can't take the waiting anymore. Only three names and it feels like hours!

"Sit back and enjoy the show, we still got Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff to go through."

"Oh, Hufflepuff…" I say.

Pansy smirks. "Oh, shhh! Next name, I wanna watch!"

"Neville Longbottom!"

I can tell Pansy is trying not to laugh, "This is so humiliating for Gryffindor, I actually wanna cry for them. Speaking of crying, Ginny won't shut up. If I were Harry I'd slap her."

"Will you stop?" I say. "Her brother just sacrificed himself for her, you'd be crying too."

Pansy laughs softly, "Oh, Draco you're cute…" Don't call me cute. Just don't.

"Lavender Brown!"

"Lavender?" Pansy echoes softly. "The girl who was obsessed with Ron? This will be interesting with Granger in the Games…"

I huff silently, wishing she would just stop with her nasty comments.

I can hear Umbridge giggle as she goes back to the Gryffindor bowl to pull out the last name, "Last but not least for our brave Gryffindors…" Her voice trails off as she unfolds the paper. Her face drops at the name and it seemed like she almost forgot to speak. I'm not sure what she's saying, but her mouth moves as she stares down at the paper. "Harry Potter!"

Well, of course the crowd beaks out into mummers and whispers. I can see the fear in Harry's face. Ginny looks up at him in horror, even Hermione and Ron looked scared. Why doesn't this surprise me? It really doesn't, but I still feel scared for him. He gives Ginny a tight hug before he stiffly walks to the stage. "Well, Draco, it's like a dream come true for you! Hey, maybe if you get picked you can be the one to kill him." Pansy says. No! No it's not! How could she say that? Just thinking about taking his life make me shudder, "That's the last thing I would ever want to do…" I mumble. "What?" Pansy asks. I'm not answering her. Let her dwell on it.

"This really _is_ interesting!" Umbridge says after congratulating Harry. For some reason, I can't take my eyes off him. This whole thing just seems so wrong and I never thought I would fell this awful for Harry. Ever…

Great, now Gryffindor is finished getting their names drawn, so now it's Ravenclaw's turn and then Hufflepuff's. Yay. I'm so excited I can die… literally…

Most of the Hufflepuffs seem to be between 12 and 14 years in age by the looks of it, but I don't recognize any of them. I don't even talk to Hufflepuffs and they're never a problem in the arena. The Ravenclaws were also young but look to be slightly older than the Hufflepuffs. Luna Lovegood and Cho Chang are among them. Eh, I know them, but I was never close to them, nor were we even friends. I talked to Luna a few times, but that's about it, and I never liked Cho.

_Finally_, it's Slytherin's turn. I was dreading this moment and just calmed down a bit but now my nerves are rocketing sky high, "Now, time for Slytherin!" Umbridge says. She moves across the table to the last bowl of names. Okay. Deep breath, it'll be over soon.

"Here we go…" Pansy says. Now, I can tell she's nervous.

Umbridge seems to be getting impatient, I mean this ceremony is going on forever, she probably wants to leave just as badly as we do by now. She quickly pulls out a name and smirks, "Gregory Goyle!"

Whoa! I jump and so does my poor heart! Pansy presses next to me and I can feel her trembling "What!? Why Goyle!?"

I bite my lip. Goyle doesn't even seem the least bit nervous, believe it or not! He walks up to that stage as boldly as ever with a smirk of the devil on his face, as if wanting to get picked. "I don't like that smirk…" I whisper.

"H-He's just confident…" Pansy says, but I can tell she's nervous about his domineer too.

"Vincent Crabbe!" Umbridge announces. Goyle's smirk only seems to grow wider at Crabbe's name. This isn't good. It feels like it's only getting closer and closer to me, and I'm shaking so badly right now I feel like I might being to rattle. I shift next to Pansy and she grabs my arm, "It'll be over soon…" She tries to say calmly, but her voice is breaking.

Okay, next name…

"Marcus Flint!"

Okay, not so bad. I broke off ties with Marcus in sixth year, but we were still civil, not exactly friends anymore but civil. The name only has me shiver because we're getting close to the end now. Pansy hugs my arm tighter, I guess trying to comfort me.

"Blaise Zabini!"

"No…" Pansy mutters. "Not Blaise!"

Seriously! Not Blaise! He's my best friend. Okay just calm down. Two more left. Just pray it's not me…

"Pansy Parkinson!" What?! Okay no, you're not taking _her_ away from me too! I don't think I can take much more of this and feeling her go stiff against me only makes me realize how scared she really is, because she never acts nervous unless It's something bad. "No…" She says. "No, there must be some mistake…"

"Pansy, where are you, darling?" Umbridge says.

I grab her hand. I can't let her go too. First my best friend then… No! I want to volunteer for her but I can't even move!

"Bye, Dray…" She says as she loosens her grip on my hand. I can see tears rolling down her face, but she tries to hide it. _No, don't leave me_ I want to call out to her but I can't do anything but just think it.

"Pansy!" Umbridge calls again. Crabbe and Goyle snicker a bit on stage. _Oh, shut up!_

She lets my hand go, but I just want to yank her back. Instead I watch her leave and walk up to that stage. I can feel the emotion burning behind my gray eyes.

_No, don't cry!_ I tell myself. _Don't let these bastards see you cry!_

I just feel more alone now than ever without Pansy next to me. Only one name left… I shut my eyes as I feel my heart racing faster.

"Draco Malfoy!"

My eyes shoot open. _What?!_

I feel like I can't breathe; like my heart stopped beating. Looking up at Goyle on stage, he only looks more evil. Pansy covers her mouth in horror and my dad's smile drops as he turns whiter than usual, even Harry looks shocked.

Every bone in my body stops moving, as forbidding me to go up there. "Draco." I hear my father say on stage. I'm so stiff but if I don't go up there they'll kill me anyway.

Hesitantly, I leave the line of Slytherins and shakily go up to Umbridge, "Congratulations, Draco!"

_Yes_ I think_ Congratulations that I'm about to die._

My father is standing only a few inches away, so I turn to him and give him a desperate look that said "_help me_" but he just turns away from me, nothing doing a single thing. I go to stand next to Pansy. I try not to look up, but on the corner of my eye I can see Goyle looking down at me with the most evil face I've ever seen.

"Congratulations to our 24 tributes!" The crowd broke out in a choppy applause, most still in shock, others happy it's not them up here. I wish I were one of them.

"Hope you all enjoy the second annual Games! I'm sure it will be very, _very_ exciting!" She let out a softy chuckle before continuing; "Now, our tributes will be transferred to the Capitol, where they will be treated to luxury and trained in the art of survival to fight to the death in the Games!"

The _fight to the death_ part only makes me shiver.

"We will give each family 15 minutes time to say their good-byes. Good luck to everyone and may the odds be ever in your favor!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – The Train

I'm back at my Manor pacing the floors nervously, running my fingers through my hair, mind going crazy, thoughts piling…

What if I die? No – I _will_ die! I can't survive this! Wait, but then if I do die, _how_ will I die?! No death in this game is fast! Every one of them is slow and – No! Okay, stop, calm down, don't think like that. Wait, what's that noise? I freeze and turn to the door. My mother bursts in and before I can react, she's wrapping her arms around me in a hug, so tight, as if never wanting to let me go.

"Oh, Draco!" She's crying. I'm probably being taped right now, so I try to hold back my own tears. You'd be surprised on how they manage to get footage of you, even in your own house. Finally my mother pulls away to look at me, grabbing my face in her shaky hands, "You can do this, you know. You can win."

I swallow and shake my head, "Mom I-"

"Don't start! You can win!"

I bit my lip. _Do. Not. Cry!_

"Where's dad?"

"He's talking to Umbridge outside."

Talking to Umbridge? What the hell about?

I pull away from my mother and go near the window. Sure enough my father is out there talking to that pink freak. I can't hear them too well so I open the window a crack to catch their conversation.

"I'm sorry, Malfoy, but there's nothing I can do." Umbridge says. What can't she do? What's going on?

"You don't understand my son is weak! He can't even do the simplest of tasks – he's not a killer, and you expect me to throw him in these wretched games!? They will rip him apart – they will brutalize him!"

I can't believe what I'm hearing right now. My father actually thinks I'll die, I mean, he _knows_ I'll die. I thought my self-esteem was just low, but for my dad to think like this, it must be true. I'm going to die. Not only just die, but get "brutalized" I can only imagine what that's like – what that feels like.

"I'm sorry…" Umbridge says.

"Look. I am the president and I _demand_ you withdraw my son, I refuse to watch him die!"

"The decision has already been made."

"Listen if you-"

"If your son doesn't go into these games, the Capitol will kill him anyway! It's either he suffers a worse death in the Capitol or dies trying. If I just simply pull him out everyone will want out. Just because you're the president, doesn't give you any right!"

My father seems to give in since he's quiet for a moment, "Fine." He says, "Then he dies trying. Maybe Gryffindor will have a winner." I shut the window. I don't want to do this, I can't do this.

I dig my nails into the windowsill, trying to hold back any emotion I can, but I can't! My arms are shaking as I grip tighter. Finally I feel my mother's hand on my back and turn around to hug her. "He's just scared for you, Draco." She says. I know she's trying to help me but it's not working. My father always means what he says even if it's harsh.

"You can do this, Draco. Train hard." She pulls back and rests a hand on my face, "I'll be rooting for you."

I jump slightly when the door opens behind me, "Time's up." My father says in a cold voice.

I hug my mother one last time, "I'm coming home. I promise." I say, just to put her mind at ease.

"I know you will." She whispers. I'm still mad at what my father said, so on my way out I just give him an angry look, which tells him I heard everything he said. His expression tells me he gets the message. He doesn't deserve a good-bye for me. He doesn't think I can win – I'll show him. But I'll never kill.

I meet up with the Slytherins at King's Cross train station… only this time we aren't going to the Wizarding World. A part of me breaks when I see the brick wall between platforms nine and ten.

The train is already pulled in, engine roaring, waiting for us to get in our cars. Each house has a different car and Slytherin is right next to the Gryffindors. I can see Ron and can tell instantly that he was crying – he probably just said good-bye to his abnormally large family.

"Draco!" I hear Pansy yell, breaking me from thoughts. I barely turn my head when I feel her run into me for a hug, almost knocking me over. I'll admit, after hearing her name at the Reaping, it's so nice to see her, but I never wanted to reunite like this; one of us will have to die, and I don't want it to be her.

"Well! Looks like we're on the same team, huh, Malfoy?" My body tenses up at the sound of Goyle's voice. Pansy slowly pulls away from our hug, as if she's worried that Goyle might try some before Games damage on me.

I look up at him, a bit worried. "I look forward to seeing you in the Games." He says in a cold voice.

"Lay off!" Blaise says, butting in, "Save it for the Games, Goyle."

"Oh, I plan to." He gives me this evil stare before walking into the train. I watch him until he's out of sight. I don't care if the rules forbid him to touch me before we get to the area – I don't trust him, and something tells me that rule will be broken. I just need to keep my eyes open.

The train whistles loudly, telling us it's time to go. I follow the other Slytherins into the Slytherin car. Pansy grabs my hand as I attempt to go ahead of the others. "Say with me." She says, only she's not looking at me. I can tell she's crying, but trying to hide her face so I wouldn't see.

"Are you two coming?" Crabbe says from inside. Once I get on this train there's no turning back. I take one last look at the station behind me. Everyone's parents are so quiet. Tonight they'll probably board up their windows to shut the outside world away. My family on the other hand – well, my dad needs to come with us since he's the president. My mother will probably stay home since watching this on TV is hard enough – how can she sit thought the real thing?

Until now, I've never been on the Capitol train. Talk about luxury. This place is huge, though it looks small from the outside. Oh, so the Capitol can probably use magic but _we_ can't? Rubbish.

The Slytherin car is color coated in green and silver. Two glass tables sit against the windows along with a dark green dining table in the center with a crystal chandelier hanging above it. There's even a living room section in here with a long black, leather sofa and two black circular chairs. A coffee table was set in the center and a flat screen television is sitting on the wall.

As soon as we meet up with the others I want to leave! Goyle keep's eyeing me with that stupid, dumb smirk. Just stop it, it's creeping me out! I can't take this.

"Guys, where's the closest bathroom?" I ask.

"Well, the closest is near the Gryffindor car-"

"Perfect." I don't even let Pansy finish, the farther I'm away from Goyle the better!

On my way there, guess who I run into, again? Harry. He's just getting on the train. Ron and the others are probably elsewhere in the car since I don't see them anywhere else. I seriously think he's stalking me, though. Or, well, this is his car, and I really shouldn't be here, so technically this makes _me_ the stalker.

"Malfoy?" He asks. "What are you doing over here, if they catch you-"

"Why do you care, Potter!?"

"I… I don't… I'm just pointing out the obvious…"

I roll my eyes. I'm really not sure I'm being so mean to him, we're supposed to be civil but I guess I'm stubborn.

We're both awkward for a moment, just standing here in the silence. I briefly look around to make sure I'm not being seen. If anyone sees me talking to him – especially Goyle – I don't want to think about it.

"Some game, right?" He says. I shift a bit.

"Right…"

"Wonder who will win this year…"

"Not you, that's for sure." I mumble.

He blinks and looks at me suspiciously, "What did you say?"

"Well, considering you're no longer a Horcux, I guess you can't come back, so you won't win. Hey, maybe you can finally say hi to your parents!" Okay, why did I say this? The look on his face actually makes me jump a bit.

"Take it back!"

"Why?"

"Take it back, Malfoy, because I don't mind getting rid of the extra weight!"

"Extra weight!?" What the _hell_ does that mean?

"It wouldn't matter! The less _snakes _the better!"

I bit my lip, looking for the right words to lash back out at him. I guess I'm taking too long.

"What? No smart ass comments now, Malfoy?"

I take a breath, "You know what, Harry, you're right? Kill me now, do it! You're not only doing yourself a favor, but you'll make my father happy!"

"…Huh?"

"He doesn't think I can win… I overheard him talking to Umbridge about taking me out of the game." I sigh, "Guess we're both done for then…"

He's quiet as he looks away from me. I sigh, "I wish I can join you… Being dead and all…" Oh, _shit_. I really hope he didn't hear that! But judging by the way he snaps his head up at me, he did.

"What was that?"

"What?" I say awkwardly, shifting my eyes as if he's crazy.

"What you just said!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I can feel my face flushing up to a bright red right now! I need to leave before he notices, quick!

"You said-"

"I gotta go!"

He points to the bathroom door, "I thought you had to-"

"It's all yours!" Did I really just say what I said? Harry's not stupid, he'll figure out what I meant by that sooner or later. Okay, I admit it, I like him. I like him a little more than I should actually, but we hate each other! I was so mean to him, there's no way in hell he'd like me back, so I should stop wishing. Oh, great, what if Pansy finds this out, or any of the Slytherins? This will really make my house look good, oh and my father too, I can only imagine: _"How dare you fall in love with a Gryffindor! What is wrong with you! My only son, I can't believe this."_

"Draco?" Pansy says when I make my way back to the Slytherin car, "Why's your face red?"

"What?" I ask, "It's not red."

"Yes it is."

"The lighting's weird. So!" I quickly changing the subject, "Who's our mentor this year?"

"Snape, apparently." Marcus says. Oh wow, he actually spoke to me for the first time in a while!

And just then, Snape enters into our car, looking as serious as ever. The six of us immediately sit down on a sofa in the living room, while Snape takes one of the round chairs. He eyes us for a minute as if trying to see if we're good enough before leaning back in his seat. "Well." He says, "We're doomed." Yes, I _know_! Slytherin won't win, because I'm on the team, I get it, stop reminding me.

"Doomed?" Crabbe echoes. Does he not speak English? I just sigh before leaning on the arm of the couch, looking bored. He's just going to lecture us about these Games – a lecture I don't want to sit though. Plus his draby voice can put even Umbridge to sleep. That's saying something since anything can make her smile. Snape is just one of those people that can drain any happy feeling away from you. Seriously, every word that slides from his mouth feels like an hour goes by.

"Yes, doomed. You'll all die. Can I leave yet?"

"No." Pansy says, "Should you tell us what need to do in order to win?! You're our mentor – you're supposed to help us, not abandon us!"

"You want my help?" Snap says, leaning over a bit, "Don't die."

I scoff, "Yeah, okay…" I mutter.

"Ah, I see we got Malfoy's son in the games." He says, shooting his boring eyes over at me, like he's just realizing I exist.

"Thanks for noticing." I say.

"So, exactly how do we kill people without magic?" Goyle asks. Oh yeah, of course he would ask this question, because I'm here – he wants to know how he can kill me. Well, that's pretty stupid. Whatever Snape says, I can just use against Goyle as well. Good job at trying to be sneaky. If I were him, I would ask Snape privately.

"You train the Muggle way." Snape replies. Oh, well that doesn't help at all!

"How do they expect pure bloods to kill like Muggles!?"

"Not feeling confident now, are you Goyle?" I say, "Wow, I'm scared for you!" I wish I didn't say that, because now I'm really on his "to kill" list, and I can tell by the look his giving me.

"Oh, I'm not scared, Malfoy. But If I were you, I'd be."

Too late.

"Now, you should all get ready for bed, tomorrow we'll be at the Capitol." Snape says. We're all tired, and don't argue with him as we get up to got to our rooms, which are right above us. Yes, this train has two floors.

Just as I'm about to leave, I feel Snape's hand on my shoulder. The Games haven't even started yet, and I'm jumping whenever someone touches me.

"Except for you." He says. I look on ahead at Goyle. He glares at me, as if wanting to know what Snape has to say. If it's good advice on how to kill, I'm sure Goyle would love to hear it!

When they're all out of sight, Snape pushes me back over to the sofa, and sits across from me. "What'd I do, now?" I ask.

"Nothing." Snape says. "There's tension in this team – a lot of it; I know Goyle has something against you."

"Oh, really?! Well congratulations, I'm glad I'm the only one who noticed…" I say sarcastically.

"Malfoy, this is serious. You can't get into trouble with him yet."

"In case you haven't noticed, he's trying to start trouble with _me._"

"I don't care who is starting what! You've been on this train for 15 minutes, Malfoy, and I'm already sick of you. With an attitude like this, you'll never get sponsors."

"Whoever said I want people to like me?"

"It's either they like you or you die without their help."

He has a point. The tributes always get way too nice around the public just so they can get stuff from them during the games – stuff that will help you if you're ever in trouble.

I just look away from him and shake my head, "There's no point in it, I'll just die anyway…"

"Well, with an attitude like that you will."

I rub my arm nervously, "I'm scared…"

"Which is why you need confidence. You're scared as it is…"

I'm not looking up at him. I really can't hold back my tears anymore and I feel like I'm about to break down right now. I shut my eyes and grip onto my pants, nervously.

"I'll let you in on a secret." He says. I open my eyes and he's leaning over as if someone is right in this room and he doesn't want them to hear. "The first part of the Games is the Blood Bath; everyone would be fighting over weapons and supplies in the cornucopia." I'm really listening to him now – anything, just tell me anything that will help me win.

"You're main priority is water. Don't worry about the weapons or the tributes – run – just run to the arena as far away from the others as possible and look for water."

Water. Got it. This I won't forget. I nod at him, shakily and stand up once he's satisfied. "Now, off to bed. You got a busy day tomorrow." He says, gesturing me to go before him. I take a breath before going upstairs to my room, which I'm lucky to have all to myself. I hate sharing.

Just when I'm about to open my door, I feel something – someone grab the back of my shirt. It was only when my body was thrown against the wall that I knew who just attacked me.

"What did he tell you!?" Goyle yells, pressing his hands on either side of me so I can't get away. I look up at him horrified. What if I don't tell him, what will he do to me? He can't kill me, but the look in his eyes tells me otherwise.

"Talk!" He yells, grabbing my hair and pulling my head back so roughly it feels like my neck is about to snap.

"Nothing! Nothing! He didn't say anything!" I whine desperately, grabbing his wrist to release me.

"Tell me, right now, Draco or I swear I'll break your skinny little neck!"

"Y-You can't hurt me!"

He yanks harder. Why is he doing this? Why can't he just leave me alone? He'll only get killed if anyone finds out what he's doing to me. Plus, you have no idea how much this hurts. Goyle's a pretty big guy, a lot bigger than me, and he's not weak, in fact, he's so strong he probably eats bricks! Plus he's so angry right now I think his skin is turning green.

"Oh, I can't?"

Suddenly I feel like every breath has just been drained from me and I can't breathe. Goyle just kneed me so hard in the stomach I think I heard a few ribs crack.

"Talk! Now!"

I'm so winded I can't even manage a sound. He pulls my hair harder, "Last warning." He says.

"H-He said…" I try to catch my breath. _Lie_ I tell myself. "He said our m-main priority is the weapons…" Maybe I can get him to believe me. If I can sway him into thinking that he needs to go to the cornucopia first, it'll distract him long enough for me to get away. Yeah, I know, this way he'll have a weapon and I won't, but I had to think of something! I was too afraid to tell him the truth, because if I did he'll just chase after me and rip me apart with his hands, probably. Seriously, he's the kind of guy who doesn't need a weapon or a wand to kill someone.

"You're lying." He says, getting a bit too close to my face. I press the back of my head against the wall. My heart's pounding, especially since he just rose up a fist. I try to pull away, since he still has my hair tightly clenched in his other hand.

I shut my eyes tight, afraid he's going to hit me. "No! I swear! That's what he said! Please, Goyle, stop hurting me!"

Finally he lets me go and I cower against the wall, pressing my back hard up against it, as he inches closer to me, grabbing my shirt, and pulling me to his face so that our noses are almost touching, "Told you, you should be afraid." He says before pushing my back at the wall and walking away.

I'm so scared right now that I scurry into my room and shut my door behind me, so fast as if he'd come bursting through to finish me off.

At least he bought my lie! This way, I have a better chance of getting away from him, but if there ever comes a chance where I do meet him in the Games… let's just say I should practice running when it comes down to training.

I press my back against the door, trying to catch my breath and get over what just happened. Now I got a splitting headache – are there pills in here? Whoa, now I'm just noticing how big this room is. The walls are a light gray – almost shining with a tint of silver, and the floor is made of black hardwood. There's a bed set in the middle of the room with silk silver and green bed sheets, and two black nightstands on either side. On each one are black lamps with green lampshades that have silver strips running down the fabric vertically. There's also one large black dresser against the wall next to the bathroom door. Aside from that the room is nothing but empty space. I go over to the bed to find a pair of neatly folded clothes. I'm guessing these are for tomorrow so I move them to the closest nightstand before going over to the dresser against the wall.

Everything in here is neatly hung up, which prevents me from taking anything out. Yes, I'm a bit of a clean freak. That's why I kind of like this room. It's neat, organized and spaced out.

After I find a plain gray T-shirt and black pajama pants, I head on over to the bathroom, so I can change for bed. I'd change in the bedroom itself, but I don't know who would decide to just come into my room. This place is weird like that. As I'm pulling off my shirt, I remember where Goyle kicked me and wince at the pain in my stomach. There's must be bruise there. I look down at my bare skin once my shirt is off. Yep! Well, this will be fun getting dressed. Maybe I can go sneak downstairs later and get some ice. Oh, and something for my head.

I'm taking forever to get my clothes on. It feels like all my organs are aching. This isn't fair, you know. He's really not supposed to hurt me yet, but I guess he just _can't wait_! I can tell on him, but I'm not four so that option is out, plus it'll only get him even angrier with me, and I don't want to die yet.

Oh, well, I should get to bed now, before it gets any later. Oh, right I still need pills and ice. I wonder if everyone is asleep yet… You know what, I don't care; I'm in too much pain to give a crap about other people. I just hope Goyle doesn't corner me again.

On my way out of my room, I open the door ajar so I can poke my head though to check and see if the coast is clear. It's dark in the hallway, which is a good sign, and it's quiet, which is even better. I quietly squeeze out of the crack in my door and quickly tip toe downstairs and look around for the fridge. Finally I spot it on the other side of the car near the green dining table. Just when I open the freezer door, I hear a shuffle near the Gryffindor car. I peek past the fridge and down the hall, to see Harry sneaking out of the car. What the hell is he doing up? I know I have a good reason, but I'm sure as hell that he doesn't.

When he spots me he jumps with gasp, but soon calms down when he realizes I'm not a threat and won't turn him in for being out of bed. "What are you doing up?" He asks me.

I smirk when I see him walking over, "You shouldn't be here. You're in _snake_ territory."

"Shut up. What are you doing? And what's with the ice?" He says when he points to the ice pack in my hand.

"Uhm… Headache. Nothing serious, but it was keeping me up. I should be asking you the same thing, Potter. Why are you out of bed?"

"I just couldn't sleep…"

I snicker, "Nightmares again?"

He shakes his head, "No, just… anxiety… about everything."

I nod, "Look, we should get back to bed. I don't want to get into any more trouble."

"_Any more_ trouble?" He asks.

"Never mind, just go to bed!" I know he can tell I'm holding back on something, but he doesn't press the question further. Instead he gives a slight wave and turns back to the Gryffindor car. After I take some pills for my head, I'm already feeling better so I head back up to my room without any more interruptions. I shut my bedroom door as quietly as possible before letting out a sigh of relief. I managed to get what I needed and back without being caught!

_Now_, I want sleep, and my bed is looking really comfortable right now. I let out a yawn before getting in bed. I lay on my side with my icepack pressed to my stomach. It hurts at first and I force the urge to pull it away, but after a while it starts to feel good and the pain beings to ebb.

I'm dreading tomorrow and anything after that, but right now I'm way too tired to care. I mind as well enjoy whatever sleep I can get.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Arriving at the Capitol

I wake up to a loud banging on my door, and am suddenly reminded of home – that's just how my mother wakes me up on a daily basis, since I tend to sleep until the afternoon during the summer. Even at Hogwarts my friends would have to force me up since it took me forever to open my eyes. Thinking of home just makes my heart ache. Speaking of pain, I think my stomach is getting worse. The slightest movement I make brings my body right back down to my bed, kind of making me feel a bit winded. Maybe I slept in one position for too long and it's just stiff. Some movement will do me good, so I should get up.

"Time to get up!" I hear a voice from behind my door, then a giggle, "It's a big, _big_ day!" Yep! That's Umbridge. I'm really not in the mood to seeing her. She wasn't here yesterday… maybe she was busy greeting the other houses until she finally settled on one she would stay with. Groaning, I get up slowly, holding my stomach as if my organs are about to pile out of me. I'm a bit hunched over before I can straighten up right. A hot shower is what I need since I'm suddenly freezing. On the plus side, my head feels better, but not for long. If Umbridge is staying with the Slytherins that means more headaches to come.

I take the clothes off of my nightstand, just where I left them, before heading on over to the bathroom. Umbridge is still knocking on my door, so I turn on the shower to block out her obnoxious: _"Get up, Malfoy!"_

Besides, I'm not even hungry, and I don't want to go down to breakfast and see Goyle, smirking at my hunch and limp.

The hot water is already helping the bruise. Maybe I should have used something hot last night instead of the ice. While I'm in here, I should probably think about what's happening today. Alright, let's run down the list. First we get to the Capitol, which will be our home before we're executed, and try to make it through the screaming crowd. Then we meet our stylists, who try to make us look _decent_ for the Tribute Parade, which is 20 minutes of hell! It takes us around the city circle, and once we're lined up, the anthem plays, and finally we're escorted to the training center. Oh, also, did I mention that the city circle is also my father's mansion? That's why he needs to come with us, only he has a car (on this train) all to himself.

Anyway, I've wasted enough time; I should probably get dressed and get downstairs. Hopefully breakfast is almost over so I don't have to sit through another lecture. The mentors usually talk the tributes to death over a meal. Which I see as kind of nerve wracking. When someone is talking to me about my near death in a few days, I'd rather it not be while I'm eating. Because then you'll feel nervous and get the feeling like you'll throw up.

"Draco, Draco! There you are!" Umbridge says. I don't look at all happy to see her, and today she's looking more pink than usual I might go blind. I even have to blink my eyes a few times when I see her. It's like she's a whole new world. She's wearing a really puffy pink dress with a pink jacket, pink boots, pink _hair_, pink make up, pink, flowery hat – pink, pink, pink! My eyes hurt…

I try not to look at Umbridge anymore and go over to sit next to Pansy. The table is lined up with food, but I just take an apple from one of the fruit bowls. Goyle has his plate piled up with bagels, muffins, toast… I'm too nervous to eat all that. The apple is just fine for me, and even on the first bite I start to feel nauseous.

"Finally decided to join us." Snape says from across the table.

"Unfortunately." I say.

"Someone's crabby." Marcus says. I just roll my eyes.

"You really should eat, Draco…" Pansy says.

I hold up my apple, "I am."

"No, I mean something else; you'll need your strength for today! You gotta make those people fall in love with you!"

"Why are you helping him!?" Goyle says from next to her.

"I just-"

"He's not helping us, so shut up!"

I scoff and sink in my seat. I'm just going to ignore all these people for now, "I'm not good at making friends; besides, I don't want anyone to like me."

Umbridge is sitting a few feet away from us, watching the TV on the black leather sofa – a live broadcast of the Capitol. I'm too anxious to pay any attention as to what's going on though. She turns around to listen to the conversation.

"Well, you better, otherwise you're done for." Snape says, leaning over and staring at me seriously. I glare right back, unthreatened. "Did you not hear me? I don't _want_ people to like me! I don't need support!"

"Listen, boy, as far as I'm concerned you need all the help you can get, and if you don't get the support of others you won't get sponsors! You _have_ to make people like you!"

Goyle smirks, "Yeah, good luck making that happen." Oh, shut up and eat your ten pound plate of food, you pig, before I come over there, and _gladly_ make you choke on it!

"You got the looks. Show them off." Umbridge says.

"He needs _more_ than just _looks,_ Deloris!" Snape says, "He needs gumption, confidence – he needs to make those people think he wants to win! Draco," He turns back at me, "even if you have to fake it – even if it kills you-"

"Let's hope it does." Goyle mutters.

"—Sooner or later you'll have to at least smile."

Yeah, okay, go look in the mirror and tell yourself that, Snape. You're the one that needs to smile.

I just roll my eyes. I'm not smiling! I won't! I don't want anyone's help – I'm just going to lose anyway, so why does it matter?

Suddenly I hear screaming. Not like someone is hurt, but it sounds like a crowd. Are we there already? All the Slytherins jump up to the window and I'm left sitting at the table having a staring contest with Snape. I won't be happy! You can't make me!

"Oh, boy…" Pansy says from the window, "Dray, come here!" Oh, no, what now?

I get up, still keeping my eyes locked with Snape's before I get to the window. As soon I poke my head though the screaming only gets louder. What is this? They can't possibly be going crazy of me. Wait, could they?

I look at Pansy, she smirks at me, "Give a wave."

"No!"

"Come on, they'll love it."

I grumble before lifting up a hand awkwardly. All of the girls in the crowd go crazy, even some guys were freaking out. Well, I guess being praised isn't _so_ bad. So I give a sly smirk and a wink. One girl actually passes out and I can't help but laugh at how the others just ignored her and walk over her to follow the train.

I turn around at Snape, who is actually smirking! Oh my God, he's _smirking! _I didn't even know he was capable of such a thing!

"Oh, how wonderful!" Umbridge says, getting all gitty and runs over to hug me, so tight, I can't breathe, "Oh, Draco that was perfect! What were you talking about, Severus? Looks are _all_ he needs!" She starts shaking me in her arms like I'm a rag doll.

"Maybe Slytherin isn't doomed after all." Snape says. I look over at Goyle when Umbridge finally releases me to see him giving me the death stare. I just smirk. I hope he's having second thoughts about killing me now. Although, this might only make him want to kill me even more – It seems like whatever I say or do only gets me into more trouble with him.

"Draco." Umbridge says, grabbing my shoulders, "You do this during your interview, and you got this in the bag!"

I chuckle softly, "You're forgetting the killing part."

She squeaks happily and wraps her arms around me again. "Oh, he's so cute!"

"Yeah, adorable." Goyle says, sarcastically as he backs away from the window, "I wonder how cute he'd look covered in his own blood." And then he walks away with one last glare at me when the train comes to a stop.

Umbridge taps my nose with a long, pink nail, "Oh, don't listen to him, sweetheart. He's just jealous." I smile softly at her. I know Goyle isn't _jealous_ – that's the last thing he is. Why is he even so hooked on killing me? I never did anything to him; we just stopped talking ever since the first annual Games. I won't lie, I kind of miss having him as a friend – I was closer to him then I was with Crabbe, which is how I got closer to Blaise.

I sigh before following the other Slytherins off the train.

"Wait, Draco." Blaise says, pulling my arm back in the car. Speaking of Blaise…

"Yeah?" I ask him.

"Uhm. I just want you to know, this doesn't change anything…" I tilt my head. What? "No matter what happens, we'll still be friends. Right?" He sounds uneasy, like he knows these Games will change us, but doesn't want to admit it.

I nod with a light smile, trying to look convincing, "Right, Blaise."

He smiles back before letting me off the train before him. As soon as the door opens, my ears pop with the screams of this pathetic crowd. I only just got picked to die, and I already have fan girls. What is this?

I follow Snape, Umbridge and the other Slytherins on the red carpet leading to the Capitol building. This place… I've never seen a city like this. The buildings are enormous and seem never ending. Looking around me, I see some far off shops that look like they sell pretty odd things. I can't make anything out too much since people are blocking my vision, but what I can make out looks odd – a lot of weird colors and designs. Over all the Capitol is… pretty abnormal yet really beautiful. I've never been to America, but I know what New York looks like – the Capitol is a lot like NYC; very busy and kind of futuristic. Not to mention _a lot_ of people. I'm not a big fan of crowds and it's just a whole new feeling to be getting this much attention.

They treat us like royalty before we go to kill each other, though. I'm a bit awkward and afraid to make eye contact with any of these crazy girls. Instead I look around for the other houses. Gryffindor are just getting off of their car, Harry being the first – seems like all the girls on the Gryffindor side are going crazy for him too. I smile softly to myself. I can see why…

Every which way I'm hearing my name being called. These girls are _nuts_! Get me out of here! I seriously feel like I'm in a cage, I don't like this! The attention felt good at first, now that I'm actually out in the open I just want to run away.

Snape's looking at me and I notice his mouth twitch. Is he telling me to smile? Okay. I better _"put these looks to use" _I straighten up, turn my head to a group of girls closest to me, and give a somewhat mischievous smirk, trying to look a bit mysterious. I can hear Blaise laughing behind me as they practically fall over. I turn to look at him over my shoulder and smile more normally. "Nice." He says with a laugh.

Okay, keep walking, almost there. The huge glass doors ahead are held open for us, and when they finally close behind me I let out my held breath. I can _hear_ again, even though my psycho fans are still screaming outside and banging the windows to get my attention. Nuh huh, they can break the glass for all I care, I'm not turning around.

I hardly have time to look around because suddenly Umbridge grabs my arm, and starts pulling me away to God knows where. I look over my shoulder only to see the other Slytherins being dragged away elsewhere. Now what!? I look up at Umbridge as I try to keep up with her, "Uh… Where are we going? Do I get to die early, because I won't complain…"

"Nonsense! You're about to meet you stylist!"

"Oh, right the Parade…"

"Yes, sweetheart the Parade! We have to make you look nice and handsome if we want to impress those ladies." I hardly have any time to look around this building since she's dragging me down a long hallway. From what I could make out it's dimly lit with torches and the walls look black. This must be the hallway that leads to the Slytherin section of the building.

"But you're already a cutie." She says as she tosses me into an empty room with nothing but a table… Well… This isn't awkward or anything.

Did the door just shut behind me? I turn around. Yes, it did. So that leaves me alone with just a table. Uhm, I'm not really sure what I have to do in this empty, cramped room so I guess I'll just sit up on the table and wait… and wait… and wait some more…

I'm starting to feel claustrophobic in here; this room is really small and there's absolutely nothing in here, but me. I sigh… I'm bored! Where is my stylist? And what is that noise? Sounds like hissing, and it's coming from under the table.

Since I'm curious, I take a peek under the table I'm sitting on and spot a snake – a green tree python with silver eyes and white freckle stops down its body. I'm not sure if I should be afraid or just ignore it. It does seem harmless, and it's not hissing at me – just sticking out its tongue. If only Harry taught me to speak Parselmouth, I could probably talk to it.

"Hey." I say to it, calling it over. It looks at me for a moment before slowly slithering on up to me. It's actually kind of cute, and not attempting to hurt me yet.

"I see you've met my friend." Someone says from the door way. I jump with a gasp, scaring the snake, and making it hiss. I was paying too much attention to the snake that I didn't even notice the door open. Finally the snake just stops its hissing fit like nothing ever happened when it sees the person in the doorway: A tall girl with really long dark black hair and green eyes, very pale skin and a jacket with the Slytherin shield on the front starts walking over to me.

"I'm Juniper." She says to me, pulling up a small stool from the corner of the room, dragging it over, so she can sit down in front of me.

"Draco." I say simply. The snake crawls on up to her lap, and just looks at me.

"This is Sasha." Juniper says petting the snake's head with an index finger. "I think she likes you."

I smile at it. It really is cute, I won't lie. Hesitantly, I reach a hand out to touch its head only to have it press its muzzle in my palm. Ah, it feels kind of weird, and its tongue keeps touching my fingers. "Don't worry she won't bit you." Juniper says. I guess she can see how uneasy I am around this snake. "She actually hates most people, but she seems to be taking a liking to you."

Sasha looks up at me before reaching out to crawl on my table. I get tense and stiff as she slithers on my lap.

Juniper laughs, "She won't hurt you Draco, relax – you've already made a friend here."

I smile at Sasha nervously and I swear this snake is smiling back at me. I gently reach a hand out as if asking her for permission to touch her head. Sasha actually nods at me. I loosen up a bit when I'm sure she won't strangle, bite or kill me.

"So, Draco." Juniper says, "How would you like to take care of Sasha for me in the Parade?" I'm not sure what she means by this, but if she's talking about "snake sitting" I wouldn't mind. Sasha does seem to like me. I shrug and gently rub Sasha's head with my index finger. "Sure." I say.

"Perfect! Because she won't be the only snake there."

I pick my head up.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's too dangerous to put actual snakes in the carriage so there will be some slithering around. A king cobra will be among them."

"I thought you just said it's dangerous. King Cobras can kill with one bit…"

"Yes, but it won't be in the carriage. Don't worry Draco."

"Okay, but what about the horses? Won't they get scared?"

"They'll have blinders on, and the snakes will be out of their sight, I promise you. We did this last year, and everyone was okay. The only new thing we're adding are real weapons to the carriage to give a more realistic look."

I can just picture how cool this will all look in my head… Even though Pansy doesn't really like snakes, and I'll have Sasha with me…

I just won't sit next to her. Nodding at Juniper's statement I look down at Sasha, who looks like she fell asleep on my leg. "Everything okay, Draco?"

"I'm just… I'm just nervous I guess…"

She sighs, "I'm sorry about all of this, Draco… You know, I'm here to help you in away way that I can?"

I look up at her. "Really? No one else says that. Usually I just get congratulated…" I say flatly.

"I'm not like most people – I don't see any point in that."

No kidding. I look back down at the snake. For some reason she seems to calm me a bit.

"Have you been told about sponsors yet?" Juniper asks.

"Yeah, but I'm not the best when it comes to making friends… I don't really like people."

"Well, we'll see." She says. "Now, upstairs, in your room you'll find a set of clothes on your bed. Head on up there, get dressed and I'll come up in about an hour."

I pause for a moment. _Why_ do you have to come in _my _room? Well, _temporary_ room… Either way it's still my room! "Why?" I ask.

She looks confused. "Why, what?"

"Why do you need to come up in my room? Can't I just come back down here?"

"Yes, but I'd want to look you over before we get ready for the Parade. You need to look perfect! I want Slytherin to be the best house there is."

"Yeah, well, that's because it is the best."

She smiles, "Good boy! That's what I like to hear! Now off you go. Oh, and Sasha can come with you if she likes." Sasha slithers on down to the floor and I hop off of the table. This snake is actually following me as I'm walking out of the room. Where's Harry when you need him? Yeah, sure the snake would be good company I guess, but it's not like I can actually talk to it.

Now that I'm not being dragged around like a stray puppy, I can actually take the time to look around this place. I only have an hour to get dressed, but it doesn't take me long to get ready, so I've got time to kill. I look down at Sasha, "Wanna take a look around?" She nods. Maybe she can understand me.

I walk down the hallway I was recently dragged down. This place doesn't look anything like I've ever seen. Everything is brightly colored and oddly shaped. The hallway is pretty plain with nothing but wide space, and black walls, but when Sasha and I get to the main staircase to go up to my room, we have to walk through the dining hall. It looks similar to the Slytherin car on the train, only the dining table is shining in polished silver. The chairs around the table are pretty simple and completely black. Underneath, the table is standing on a green and silver stripped carpet, resting on the black hard wood floor. The walls are covered in famous Slytherin wizards, only the pictures aren't moving. I get a pang of sadness when I'm reminded of Hogwarts – that awful place – I kind of miss it. I think they tried to make this look like the Slytherin common room… wait, where's Sasha? I got too caught up in looking around that I didn't even notice her disappeared. "Sasha?" I say aloud. Suddenly I heard a hissing noise near the living room. I look down near the square shaped sofa and see her green nose poke though as if she's calling me over. The living room looks a lot more like the Slytherin common room than the kitchen does. The chairs and sofa are black with a similar rug like the one underneath the kitchen table. A giant television sits on an entertainment center with our Slytherin emblem on the wall behind it. In the center is a crystal coffee table with a centerpiece in the shape of two snakes coiling around each other. Basically this is where we go after dinner or breakfast to watch the recording of that day. Since tonight is the Parade, we'll all probably gather around the TV tonight and watch everything from the Reaping to the Parade. It's not a lot of fun, trust me. I really don't want to re-watch Ron volunteering for Ginny. Maybe Pansy didn't feel bad, but I sure did.

I look down at Sasha who's right by my foot now, "Let's get upstairs." I turn to leave and she follows me up the staircase. This hallway is very plain, and widely lined up with six different rooms – one for each tribute. Like the hallway downstairs, this one is also black, but the doors to rooms are dark green. Between each door is a lightly buring torch to give the hallway an eerie sort of lighting to it. I'm about to turn the door knob on the farthest one down the hall when I see a hand slam on the door, preventing me from opening it. I sigh. "What do you want now, Goyle?" Sasha slithers behind my legs with her coils wrapped in ball. She's hissing up at Goyle, angrily. "Good girl." I whisper to her.

"Are you talking to that snake?" Goyle says.

"I can't talk to snakes, Goyle, that's Potter." I say as if he's stupid, "Now let me in my room before I break your fat hand off of my door, and feed it my snake!"

Clearly I have either offended him or really made him angry because just then, his hand slides off my door and he starts walking towards me with the ugliest glare I have ever seen. I back up, quickly making sure there's no wall behind me this time, so I don't get cornered again. I really don't want him to hit me! My stomach is still sore. "Goyle stop! I'll tell her bite you, really, I will!"

"You're snake can't hurt me! It's probably not even yours!" He says, still inching closer.

"She's lethal – very poisonous." I lie, "Almost killed my stylist." Sasha hisses as if she's agreeing with my lie. I smile down at her. I'm glad I'm not the only one who hates Goyle.

"You little prat!" Goyle says. I can't back up or run away fast enough because he has me by the cuff of my shirt, almost lifting me off of the ground. Sasha's hisses are only sounding more threatening, but Goyle doesn't seem to care. Suddenly my head is thrown to side by Goyle's fat, puffy fist and everything is going fuzzy. I can tell I'm bleeding by the taste of iron in my mouth and spots of crimson on the black floor.

I groan in pain before spitting some more blood out of the floor and looking up at him, shocked. He's smirking, like he enjoys seeing me in pain. I grip onto his fist that's holding my shirt, "Let me go you-"

"You what? Please, finish your sentence so I can hit you a few times more."

Okay, I can't take this… good thing my legs are free because I kick him so hard in the groin that he drops me and I stumble to stand. I smirk as I watch him double over in pain. Now, I look down at Sasha and nod. She hisses loudly before slithering up to Goyle and biting his fat ankle. She really isn't venomous, but Goyle doesn't know that.

He's practically crying since he's in so much pain. "Good girl, Sasha." She nods at

me, looking pleased. Quickly I run into my bed room before Goyle can do anymore damage to me. I can hear him yelling at me from outside of my room, "You'll get yours, Malfoy, trust me! When these games start, you better run so far away where I can't find you, because _when_ I do – and I swear I will – I'll make you suffer. I'll make sure the audience really gets a death that will make history!"

Well, it's good to know that my worst enemy literally wants to rip my limbs off. He's not the only one that has a few tricks up his sleeve – I got a few.

Panting nervously, I slide down against my door. Sasha looks up at me with concern. "I'll be okay." I say. Slowly she inches near my face and I feel her tongue stroke the spot where Goyle punched me. She pulls back as if she was trying to indicate there's a mark there now. Gently I touch the side of my face only to wince in pain and pull my hand back. "Oh, great!" I say. So much for good looks, "You think Juniper can fix this?" I ask Sasha and she nods. "Good. I'm gonna go clean this blood off." Getting up, I head on over to the bathroom and Sasha follows me. My reflection scares me a bit. Under my right eye is a big black and blue mark with a lot of blood either coming from the cuts on my face or it's running down the side of my mouth. I groan before spitting out any remaining blood into the sink. Man, I feel dizzy right now. I look around in the shower for a washcloth before soaking it in soap and water. As soon as it touches my face, I cringe with pain. For some reason Sasha slithers out of the bathroom, but I don't care right now. I press the washcloth to my face to soak up the blood. It hurts, but I don't pull it away.

I hear a soft hiss and look down in the doorway. Sasha has something clamped in her mouth. I lean down to take it from her and notice she brought me my clothes that must have been on my bed. Smiling at her, I take the clothes and rub her head as a thank you. We got only 20 minutes before Juniper comes in my room. I should clean this blood off the best I can and at least attempt to cover up the mark.

Once I'm all dressed, I'm trying to fix my face up the best I can before Juniper comes in. Hopefully I don't look too bad. I turn to Sasha, who's in the doorway. "How do I look?" She tilts her head. "You don't understand me do you?" She still doesn't move. I sigh and point to my face before shrugging questionably; maybe she understands shitty sign language. I guess she gets it because all I get is a simple nod in response. So for my outfit, it really isn't any different from what I would normally wear – just a simple black suit with the Slytherin shield on my back. My hair? It's a jumbled mess right now, and I don't have time to fix it since someone is knocking on my door.

On my way there, I try to pat down some blonde hair that's sticking up just to make it look like I attempted to do it.

"Draco! What happened to your face?" Juniper says almost as soon as I open the door.

"Uhm-"

"Did you get into a fight _already!?"_

I open my mouth to speak but she just keeps going, "No, no, no, this is perfect! Total bad boy look, I like it. Although, I'll just add a bit of make up just so your eye isn't too puffy." Now she's starting to circle around me. I stand perfectly still, a bit nervous for some reason.

"Have you eaten at all today?" She asks me.

"Uhm… Not really. Why?"

"You're rather skinny."

I grumble softly before pressing down my hair again, only to have her smack my hand away from my head. "No, keep it like that! Remember – bad boy look!" Now that I think about it, I am hungry. All I had was an apple and that was this morning.

"Let's get you something light to eat before the Parade." She says. I guess she can hear my stomach growling. I nod at her before calling Sasha over and following Juniper downstairs.

I'm getting a bit shaky now. I don't know if its nerves for if it's just because I was stubborn this morning and didn't eat…

Either way, I'm not looking forward to this Parade…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – The Tribute Parade

Finally, Juniper takes me down to the president's mansion, which isn't far from the building I'm actually staying in, and once I'm there, I meet up with my team outside of the city circle. All the carriages are set up, except for Gryffindor. There's not too much around me right now aside from the starting point of the isle we'll be carried down, and big double doors that will probably open when we're ready. I can already hear the roar of the crowd and it's making my head hurt.

Goyle is looking at me with this look of confusion, like this is first time ever lying eyes one me, and to him, I must look like some sort of demon. I want to say something snarky to him, since his face looks pretty stupid right now, but Pansy stops me, "What happened to your face!?"

I look over her shoulder at Goyle. Something about him tells me that if I tell Pansy the truth, he might strangle me. The thought makes me instinctively rub my throat gently. So I lie: "Uhm, just make up. To make me look different…"

"There's also a snake around your shoulders, did you know?" Pansy says, noticing Sasha and backing away when she starts to move.

"She's just for show. Besides she won't bite."

"Oh, she won't?" Goyle says, pushing Pansy out of the way to look at me. "Tell that to my swollen ankle."

"…..I'd rather not…." I say with a crinkle of my nose and taking a step back. "Anyway…" I'm trying to ignore him the best I can, "Have we decided on seating arrangements for the carriage?"

"Draco, I love you and all, but you're not sitting with me if that snake is with you." Pansy says. Goyle smirks at this and slams his fat hand against my back, almost causing me to fall over.

Sasha hisses, "You can sit next to me." He says, slowly backing away when Sasha unsheathes her fangs angrily.

"I'd rather be on the Hufflepuff carriage, surrounded by badgers than sit with you." I say.

"He can sit with me." A voice says nearby. It's Blaise and he's just walking up to me from behind Goyle. I noticed him fixing some weapons on the carriage, but now he finally feels like joining the conversation. I can't help but slightly smile gratefully over at him.

"Everyone ready?" Juniper says, walking over to us with a crate in her arms. Pansy backs up when she hears the hissing coming from that box, "What's in there?"

"The Cobra for the parade." Juniper says, shifting the crate in her arms.

Suddenly I hear roaring, or growling – something big, like a lion. I turn around to see the Gryffindor carriage actually being pulled by two full grown lions. Their manes are so yellow and puffy they look like fire. I bite my lip nervously when I see Harry walking over to the carriage with Ron and Hermione next to him. He looks at me, but I just turn away, mainly because I don't want him to see my bruised eye. "So, uhmm..." I say awkwardly, trying not to meet Harry's eyes and nod my head to the carriage, "They got lions…"

"Yes, Draco. They had lions last year…" She giggles, "Someone sounds distracted."

"What? I'm not distracted."

"Okay, everyone we're going to be starting soon. Anyone need to get any last minute touchups done?" Juniper says before looking at me. "Let me just mess your bangs up just slightly." I stay perfectly still as she gently fixes my hair. I can see Harry looking over on the corner of my eye, but I pretend not to notice. "Does this hurt at all?" She asks me as she gently touches my sore eye.

"A bit. How does it look?"

"Not too bad, but it is a nice touch. Make those girls go crazy over you, Draco."

"Shouldn't be a problem." Pansy says.

I sigh. All this attention and I'm just going to die. What's the point of this? Honestly.

"Alright everyone! Onto the carriage!" Juniper says. I get in the back with Blaise and Marcus. Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle are in front of us. Outside, Juniper is fixing some weapons that are attacked around the carriage – one of them being a large axe that she gently tilts upward. Our carriage does look pretty awesome. It's black, and being pulled by two smoke black horses, wearing dark green rains. Plus the weapons on the carriage are a pretty cool touch – I like it, at least. "Doesn't that snake make you nervous?" Blaise asks, looking down at Sasha around my neck.

"Nah. She's pretty clam around me, as long as you don't threaten her."

Blaise smiles before gently touching my bangs as if he's afraid to push them out of place. "This is a new look for you." He says.

I smile uneasily, "Really?"

"Yeah! I mean I know Potter likes it. He hasn't taken his eyes off of you ever since he got here."

"Really? I haven't noticed." I lie, turning away from Blaise so he doesn't see my red face.

"But what about you and Pansy?" He's whispering now, leaning close to me so Pansy won't hear from the front. I shrug, "I don't know…." I say. How am I supposed to answer that? Pansy and I did have a thing our fourth year but that was a long time ago, and whether or not she still likes me is her business. As for me I still have feelings for her, in a way. I mean, I like her, but I don't love her… at least I don't think I do… but then there's Harry. But that's just wishful thinking. Harry wouldn't like me back – he hates me – I hate him! Well, I _did_. We can't be together. If I ever did slip out and say I liked him… I really don't know what would happen between us. But I shouldn't even worry about it, right? I mean, these feelings will probably fade out eventually. Can you imagine what my father would think of that?! Oh God, I'd be dead! But yet, I can't stop thinking about him and – okay; now I'm confused, I'll just stop talking about this! I don't like Potter, and Potter doesn't like me. The end.

Blaise looks like he wants to say more, but is cut off by loud hissing. The cobra has just been let out of the crate and since I'm sitting on the end of the carriage, I shift more towards Blaise, since this snake is really close to me right now. Pansy is freaking out. I lean over and place my hand on her shoulder. "Draco!"

"I'm right here. It won't hurt you, I promise."

Some more snakes are let out, but Pansy is more concerned about the Cobra. I am too, to be honest.

While we're still getting ready, I take a look around. Ravenclaw have actual ravens pulling their carriage – a lot of them by the looks of it, and Hufflepuff have horses but badgers roaming around them, like we have snakes around us. I already explained Gryffindor, but I still think Slytherin looks like the best. I mean seriously, we have a king cobra, a carriage made of weapons, a snake around my neck – what could go wrong? We're only surrounded by sharp objects and snakes…

"Alright, Draco." Juniper says, when she's finally done setting up. "Big smile, try to look mysterious – girls like that, and most important, look determined, and make your dad proud. Got it?"

"I think so."

"Good boy! I'll see you all later! Have fun."

Make my dad proud she says. HA!

The anthem starts playing and the carriages start to move. I'm sitting so stiffly, trying not to look at the cobra that's slithering alongside of the carriage. Sasha is hissing at it and I gently shrug my shoulders to make her stop. The last thing we need is that cobra going crazy.

"You alright?" Blaise asks, just before the carriage is out in the open and the huge crowd starts going nuts. The screaming and cheering makes my ears pop.

I look around nervously and get a bit shaken up. "Mhmmm." I say, too nervous to speak.

The long isle way is lined up with torches that light up as the carriages go by. This is so overwhelming; the audience is surrounding the entire circle and that's _a lot_ of people. I hear my name being thrown around as soon as the audience sees the Slytherin carriage. I do what I was told to do and look "mysterious". I give a slight ominous smile and a wave to one side of the audience. Sasha's going mad; I think she's afraid of the cobra. "Sasha, stop." I say through gritted teeth, trying hard not to look nervous. This is not good, and the cobra was a bad idea.

Looking down, all the way at the end of the circle and I see my father high up on a pedestal, looking over at us – _me_. He's only looking at me and he has this arrogant scowl on his face that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. My smile fades and I feel my heart sink when I meet his eyes.

Suddenly the carriage stops, and the horses start backing up on their hind legs, bellowing in fear, like something startled or attacked them. I nearly fall out of my seat as the carriage tilts a bit. I can hear the crowd breaking into gasps and screams, but I try not to pay attention to them because something else catches my eye that almost makes my heart stop beating – the Cobra is nearly on the carriage and snapping its jaws at Pansy. She's screaming and backing up near Goyle but the cobra keeps inching towards her, slowly snaking its thick coils on the carriage to get to her.

"Draco!" She screams.

The carriage keeps rocking and I lose my balance. Sitting on the end of this thing was not a good idea. I hit the ground and Sasha slithers off my shoulders out of panic. I pick my head up to see even Pansy is on the ground but trying to back away from the cobra as it keeps snapping its unsheathed teeth as her, a bit of yellow venom hanging off of its fangs.

What do I do!? Wait – the carriage! I turn around to it and spot the axe Juniper was fixing earlier. Quickly, I get to my feet and yank the axe off. Pansy is still screaming, the horses are still scared, and the crowd won't shut up. Just before the cobra can even attempt to bit her, I pull it back by its tail, causing it to quickly spin around towards me. But it doesn't even have to time to make eye contact since I cut its head straight off with the axe as it makes a loud hiss of agony. The rest of its body twitches uncontrollably before it goes completely limp and dropping to the floor. Panting, I drop the axe when I feel Pansy dash into my arms. She's crying and I hug her tight, "Are you okay? Did it bite you" I say frantically.

"N-No, I don't think so! Oh, God, that was so scary!" She buries her face into my shoulder and sobs.

Suddenly the whole crowd gets silent, but I still won't let her go. "Draco. Thank you." She muffles into my shoulder.

My hearts pounding. Did all this just happen? Did I really just kill that snake with one swing? I never knew I could even hold a Muggle weapon like that property. I look up at my father. I have never seen him so shocked. I smirk up at him before pulling Pansy back. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes. Yes, I'll be okay."

I smile at her before grabbing her hand and raising it up for the audience. The crowd bursts into applause, louder than I've ever heard before. I just did something heroic and I don't think the Capitol will ever forget this. Pansy turns to me again and hugs me tightly. "Draco, why did you do that? One of us will have to die anyway -"

"I don't care. You're okay now, that's all that matters."

"Thank you." She breathes.

Pansy and I get back onto the carriage when the horses start to calm down. We're only a few yards away from the circle when it starts to move again. This time, only the smaller snakes, plus Sasha, are following and I don't think they're going to be a problem if not. I can feel the make up on my bad eyes running since I'm sweating right now, plus I'm still out of breath. "That was amazing." Blaise says. I smile up at him before I notice the Gryffindor carriage behind us. I catch Harry's eye but he's looking at me with concern.

I blink in confusion and then realize the sudden pain on my face where I was punched. My makeup ran completely and my black eye is more visible now than before. Quickly, I turn away from Harry and look down, "Draco?" Blaise asks me. I clamp my hand over my eye. "I'm fine." I say. "No you're not…"

I shake my head. "I'm not. When is this parade over? I feel like I'm about to pass out."

"Did you hit your head when you feel out of the carriage?"

"I don't know, probably…"

"Hang in there, it's almost over." Everything is getting fuzzy and all I can feel is Blaise's hand on my back, even the roar of the crowd is becoming a faint echo in my ears. I must have hit my head when I fell. Suddenly I feel the carriage stop. We must have arrived at the circle – finally.

"Well, this _is_ an exciting day!" Okay, I know that voice is familiar. I look up to the high podium in the circle to see Gildroy Lockheart, the tribute interviewer, and my father standing at the microphone by his side. "Everyone, give it up for our second annual Games tributes!"

The crowd goes crazy and I'm starting to get a bit of my hearing and vision back.

"Down the line we have," Gildroy began, "Ravenclaw! Hufflepuff! Gryffindor! And Slytherin!" It may just be me but the audience only gets louder when Gildroy says "Slytherin".

"Now, take a look for a moment at the Slytherin carriage." Gildroy says. "Snakes everywhere! Now, I don't know about you, folks, but I've never seen a Slytherin tribute chop off the head of a king cobra! Lucius, you have quite a son!" This crowd is only getting louder especially since they started chanting my name.

My father doesn't answer though, and I don't take my eyes off of him. "People seem to like Mister Harry Potter as well from Gryffindor!" Now they switch to Harry's name. I turn my head to look at him and he seems a bit shy, but still manages to wave and smile. A small smile even breaks my lips apart as I watch him. Pansy must have notice because when I turn back she's looking at me but with a look of – I don't know what to call it, but she looks hurt, as if she can tell I have feelings for a Gryffindor. Not just any Gryffindor, but Harry Potter. I don't say anything to her and she looks away. The weird thing is Goyle hasn't given me any nasty looks or threats since we got on the carriage. He's probably trying to play innocent. Well, tomorrow is training, we'll see how he is around me then.

"Everyone, it's been quite the night!" Now my father is taking over the microphone, "Our tributes do look great tonight, and that show put on by my son was interesting, was it not?" The crowd starts screaming again, "I know, I know, very heroic. It's been a great night, but our tributes need to rest up for tomorrow they have training! Enjoy the Games!" And he leaves the microphone and now our carriages are taking us back stage.

Even on the way back I have to put on a show, but as soon as our carriage stops and is out of view from the audience, I loosen up with a heavy sigh of relief, "I thought that would never end!" I say, hopping off of the carriage.

"Yeah, bet you liked that, huh?" Goyle says, pushing Pansy out of way so he can get off of the carriage.

"What are you going on about, Goyle?" Blaise says in my place.

Goyle ignores him and goes straight to me, "Killing that snake! Don't make me laugh, that was all staged!"

My shoulders drop in shock, "You're telling me I did all that for show!? Everything!? That snake nearly killed her, if you think for a second I would let that happen-"

"You should have!" He cuts me off, "You're weak, Draco! You should have made Pansy die! None of us would have saved her, but noooo it HAD to be you, you little _git_!"

"None of you idiots would have done it because you're all cowards! At least I had the guts to pull that axe off the carriage and cut its damn head off! You're the one who's weak, Goyle not me! So go and shove it up your big fat ass for all I care!" He reaches out to grab me but I push him back, "Don't you _dare_ touch me again, Goyle or I swear I'll give this Capitol a real mess to clean up!"

He looks stunned, "You don't know who you're dealing with, pretty boy." He says, and I'm still yelling that my voice is starting to crack.

"Oh, I don't!? No, no, no, Goyle. I don't think _you_ know who _you're _dealing with! Why did you get this way, what did I do to make you turn!?"

He just stands and looks at me. I never yell this much and I'm breathing heavy because of it. I know I'm fed up with his crap but I think, on top of it all, I'm just afraid of him and I desperately want him to spare my life. Even Umbridge, Snape, and Juniper are staring at our fight in awe.

"Listen you-"

"No you listen! If you wanted to kill me you would have done it by now!" Now my voice is really breaking. I'm about to cry, I know it. "Maybe I am too weak to kill, but I'm not too weak to know right from wrong!"

He laughs, "You sound like a Gryffindor!" Speaking of Gryffindors they're all staring at us. I try to ignore the shock on Harry's face.

"Yeah? Well, maybe you can learn something from them. You know, maybe I will end up killing someone unwillingly in these Games… but if I die, at least I'll go down knowing one thing." I inch closer to him and he doesn't move, "That I didn't kill for glory." I feel my eyes watering up and I can't let him see me break down, so I turn my back on him and leave.

I'm quiet the whole way back and soon as I get to my room I slam my door, and lock it shut so _no one_ can come in here. I sit on my bed and burry my still sore face in my hands. I've really had enough of this. When I get to the arena I don't know what I'll do, I really don't. Run is all I can think of but how long can I run for? The Games will eventually come down to two tributes and only one makes it out alive. What if it comes down to just me and Goyle? I bit my lip at the thought before lying down on my bed, facing the wall and hugging my pillow to try and calm my nerves. I'm not going to cry. I won't!

I rub my left arm and remember what's there. I sigh, and slowly roll up my sleeve and see that hideous dark mark Voldemort gave me. Now I feel the tears again. I never asked for this – he chose me, and so did these Games. Looking at this mark only makes me realize something: what if I really am a killer? Even though I never actually took a life this is the mark of a murderer, and that's not who I am. I don't want to kill and I don't want to die, and I especially don't want my former best friend to finish me off. What's happened to Goyle? I miss him – I miss everything. I just want my life back… I've wanted it back ever since sixth year…

I sigh weakly and just let the tears fall. I can't hold it in anymore and finally sleep takes me over.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – The Training Center

"Draco?" I hear from outside my door. That doesn't sound like Umbridge, but I'm still half asleep and can't make out the muffled voice. "Draco, its Pansy. Open up, I've been worried about you all night." I sit up slowly, holding my head in pain. "Coming." I say irritated. Standing up, I realize something. I slept in my clothes from the parade all night. I roll my eyes. Great. Whatever, I have to take a shower anyway…

After I open the door, I lean against the doorway, tiredly. I probably look like a ship wreck by the look on Pansy's face. "You look sick. Wait…" She says and pushes my bangs out of my eyes, "Have you been crying? Draco what's going on with you and Goyle?"

I shove her hand away, "That's none of your business."

"It is my business! Draco, I don't want to see you get killed. Not by him."

"Yeah, well, it looks like it's coming to that." I sigh, "When will you get it? I'm not cut out for this. Goyle even said I'm weak, so maybe I am."

"Don't listen to what he says! Are you forgetting what you said to him yesterday? You know right from wrong – you know better not to kill."

I look down and hold my left arm, "Do I?" She looks down with concern and pushes my hand off of my arm before looking up at me, "You do. Just because you have that mark doesn't make you any different than who you really are. You're my friend, Draco and whether or not we lose during these Games, we'll still be friends."

"You say that now… But as soon as we get to that arena you'll turn. Trust me; you'll want to kill me just as much as Goyle does."

"I would never even _think_ about hurting you. Listen, just try to stay away from him until the Games. If you don't, he'll kill you before you can lift a weapon." She places her hand on my face, gently, where Goyle hit me yesterday. "Besides, he's already hurt you enough." I finally lift my head up and see her leaning in slightly. I don't know what makes me lean in after her but as soon as I realize what's going on I swallow hard and pull away.

"I'll um… I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast soon."

She pulls back and I see her face flush up, "R-Right." Nervously, she pushes her hair over her ear and smiles at me before I shut the door. Well, that was awkward. Now I need a shower.

I'm the last one to get downstairs again, but this time I'm actually hungry. Snape is in deep conversation with the other Slytherins and I don't think Goyle even notices me walk in. Pansy on the other hand does see me and gives me a soft smile before turning back to the conversation. For some reason I feel slightly better today. Maybe it was because I needed to get that anger out last night and I finally had that chance.

When I sit down I decline the apple and take some pancakes. "Oh, Malfoy, there you are. When did you get here?" Snape asks, finally drawing his attention to me.

"Just got here." I say as I put some syrup on my pancakes, "Thanks for noticing. What are we talking about?"

"Training. Oh, and last night you missed the overview of the Reaping and Parade so we'll watch that tonight." Snape says.

"Right." I say, remembering how I stormed to my room out of anger.

"Anyway, after breakfast, change into your training clothes and we'll meet down here and head to the training center together. Now, when we get there, there will be 20 or so stations set up. Each one will be of some use to you in the Games. Most are for just normal combat, the others can range from obstacle courses, duels and even setting up different traps."

"You said duels right?" I hear Goyle ask. Something about his tone causes me to swallow without chewing.

"I did. Why?" Snape asks.

"Just making sure." He says, with a look at me. I just sink, pawing the pancakes with my fork. I feel Pansy elbow me. "I know." I drop my voice, "I'll stay away from him."

"Are the houses combined?" Marcus asks.

"Yes. Every house will be there so you can duel other people aside from your own house, but only if you choose to."

Umbridge, who was reading the newspaper on the living room sofa, starts walking over, "And no funny business, do you understand!?" She says, pointing her rolled up newspaper at each one of us as she speaks, like she's about to swat a fly.

"What?" Crabbe asks with a face full of blueberry muffin. I roll my eyes at how stupid he looks as muffin crumbs fall out of his chubby mouth while he speaks. He looks like an overweight chipmunk… an ugly chipmunk… I try not to laugh.

"She's right." Snape begins, "If any of you try to jump the gun and attempt to kill another tribute, you'll be sent to train alone until the Games start."

I drop my shoulders. Not so bad, I guess. Goyle wouldn't want to train alone since he probably wants to see what other tributes are training for and try to find their weaknesses. He can't do that if he attempts to kill me and is put in training solitude. Even still, I'm keeping my distance.

"There's a few days' worth of training before your interviews so make good use of it." Umbridge says.

"Don't forget your individual sessions. The day before your interview you'll have to do some impressive stuff for the Game Keepers. And Mad Eye is strict so plan out your tactics well. I'll be surprised if any of you get a score above 5 with Moody being judge." Snape says, leaning back in his seat with a smirk as if the thought of us failing amuses him.

"What's the highest score you can get?" I ask.

"No one has ever received a score over eight. But the highest is a twelve." Umbridge says, "But you'll have to do something pretty impressive to get a score like that!" She giggles.

Count me out then. I'm lucky to get a 4… maybe a 5, but that's pushing it.

"Alright, Slytherin, it's 12:00! Upstairs you go! Your clothes should be up there waiting for you." Umbridge says, tapping the newspaper in her hand.

We all pile upstairs and sure enough my training outfit in on my bed, neatly folded. It's just a plain black jumpsuit with the Slytherin shield on the back and one green and one silver strip running down each sleeve and leg.

I get dressed quickly and meet Snape and the others downstairs.

"Perfect, you're all on time. Now, training lasts for three days – if you ask me that's not enough time to prepare, so work hard."

We all nod before following Snape and Umbridge down a different hallway that passes the Gryffindors section.

I spot Harry and the other Gryffindors about ready to leave with they're mentor, but I turn away just when Harry notices me. I'm sure he's still angry about what I said to him on the train, and I'm not in the mood to argue with him about it.

The Training Center is a single tower just for tributes. It's at the very far end of this building and it'll pretty much be out home until the Games begin – since we'll be spending most of our waking moments there. Suddenly we stop when Snape presses a button to call the elevator. It smells of sour milk in here, but the plus side is the walls are made of crystal and you can see everyone below shrink to the size of ants as it shoots up.

When it opens, we pile out and Snape and Umbridge lead us down a white corridor to the training center. They'll be staying, obviously, to monitor or progress and asses us if we need them to, even though there are guards around, but they're there just to make sure we behave.

Finally, we stop at two white doors and when they slide open, I slowly step inside so I can get a look around. I can see that the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws have already made it here before us – some on obstacle courses, some brandishing weapons, the others look like their getting a lesson about making nets. The building is high and there's every type of station you can think of. Like Snape said, there's obvious section like, weaponry, obstacle courses… but there's also something I haven't seen before. On the far end, near the bleachers is a section for camouflage. Different colored paints are lined up with every sized brush – there's also some artificial trees and bark to test it on. I've never seen anyone use this, but if you're a good artist I guess it can be very helpful when it comes to hiding.

When we set foot inside, Goyle runs to the weapon rack and pulls off a long thick sword. I smirk when I see an axe there, similar to the one I used to kill the cobra back at the parade. But all I can do is look. I'm keeping my distance since Goyle already took that section over with Crabbe, Marcus, and few Hufflepuffs – those poor Hufflepuffs. They don't know what they're up against and they're all so young. I think the youngest is actually twelve and the oldest is fourteen. I'm seventeen and I'm not cut out for this. I can't help but feel bad. Last year, most of them died in the blood bath at the beginning of the Games. The others that made it to the arena alive ended up getting killed anyway. Even most of the Ravenclaws don't make it at the beginning. Last year it came down to a Slytherin and a Gryffindor. The Slytherin won by… I'm not even going to tell you what she did – it was brutal.

"Draco." I hear Pansy say. "Wanna do an obstacle course? It might help improve our running. We can learn about weapons later."

"Sure." I say before I start to follow her.

A few Hufflepuffs are doing this course. It looks like a sort of long hill with ridges and slopes going every which way. This won't be easy – this course just looks confusing, and these Hufflepuffs are small but determined and rough. They keep ramming into us and shoving me over to the point where I end up falling on the mat a few times, sometimes even landing on the course itself and it hurts. After a while I get the flow of this since I'm only practicing several times until my legs begin to ache. Pansy keeps telling me to take a break, especially when she sees me shaking since I'm starting to get exhausted. I tell her no or just ignore her before I keep going.

I'm tired, sweating and thirsty but as soon as I'm about to stop, I see Granger coming over. Now's my chance to put all that training into action. The Hufflepuffs were good practice. When I started to get good at this course they became like little rag dolls and I ended up being the one to shove them over, even Pansy was surprised when we raced each other and I beat her. But now I can take on someone a bit tougher. I know Granger won't go easy on me – she despises me.

"Well, hello there, Draco. Pansy."

"Mudblood! What are you doing here!? Go play with your little ginger boyfriend!" Pansy snaps.

I'm surprised to see Granger being calm about this. If it were me she would have probably had a knife in my stomach by now… or another punch to my face.

"I'm not here to fight. Do any one you want to race?" She asks.

"I'm out." Pansy says and grabs my arm, "Come on, Dray, we got better things to do."

"Actually, I think I'll stay here." I say. She looks at me shocked and even Hermione blinks.

"Well, alright. I'll see you later. When you're done, meet me by the weapons, Goyle moved to a duel." She says before walking away.

I turn back to Hermione, "Listen, before we start, I just wanna say-"

She looks at me, "It's okay, Draco… I don't want to fight either. Maybe we'll never be friends, but right now let's just… focus on living."

She's actually being nice to me and I'm actually being nice to her. Either way, it's probably better to make alliances than enemies. Seriously, Goyle is more than enough.

"Well, Draco Malfoy, good luck!" She says and we position ourselves at the beginning of the course to start. "On three." I say. She nods. "We'll count together. One…"

"Two…" I say.

We pause for a moment but I don't take my eyes off this course, "Three." We say together and run off. I'm surprised at how good she is – I've never seen her run so fast and I've never jumped over objects this quickly either. Where both neck and neck and attempt to shove each other off the course. I stumble a bit, but quickly regain my balance just in time to jump over a large bump in the course that pulls me ahead of her. I'm panting and I can hear her getting out of breath as well. I'm pretty impressed with her. I never thought after all these years I'd get the chance to compete against Granger and now that I am I finally get to see how strong she really is.

I'm tired now, but we're almost done. Hermione tries to go after my feet, so I would trip, but I jump just in time, causing her lose balance and fall off the course, onto the mat. I jump off to the end, out of breath.

I beat her… I actually won.

I feel like I'm about to topple over, I'm so tired. I lean down on my knees and breathe heavily before I can stand up straight. Going over to the spot where Hermione fell over, I reach my hand out to her to help her off of the floor.

She smiles up at me before taking my hand and I hoist her up. "That was fun." She says. She's not even the least bit mad that I beat her, and I'm not going to rub it in her face, either.

"Yeah." I say, still panting.

She laughs softly before pushing some hair out of her eyes and holding her hand out to me, "Great job, Draco!" I shake her hand lightly, "You too..." I say with a friendly smile. Just when she walks away some Ravenclaws come over. I've had it with this course so I let them take over and go to meet Pansy at the weaponry.

"Draco, you beat her! I saw the whole thing, I'm so proud of you!" Pansy says.

"She did a pretty good job too, though. It wasn't easy, she was fast."

"But you were quicker! Draco, if you do that in the Games, Goyle will never catch you. Besides, his weight will slow him down."

"I don't know about that. If he's that determined to kill me, he'll run as if someone is chasing _him_ with an axe." Speaking of the axe I remember mine. I turn around to the weapon rack and thankfully it's still there. I yank it off while Pansy is talking. "Draco, I don't think you realize how strong you are. Sure you stumbled the first few times on that course, but that's only because you've never done anything like this before. When you practiced you were like a pro! That only shows that you can do this, it's in you."

"I hope you're right…"

"I care about you too much to lie. Now let's see what you got with that axe! You did a pretty good job at saving my life with it anyway. Let's practice on some dummies for a while."

I'm actually feeling pretty confident right now. Maybe I can do this… Maybe I can at least hold out for a little while in these Games. I'm still sticking by what I said, though… but fighting is all I can do. I'll never kill anyone purposely… and I'm sticking by that.

I have a hard time training with these dummies at first. They move by magic, with wooden rod sticks clamped in each hand. They move with you, as if they can actually tell what your next move will be. I keep getting hit in the ribs, neck, hips and stomach by these stupid things, and I never get a good enough chance to swing my axe. I groan in aggravation

"Take it slow." Pansy says. "If it can see your next move you have to look ahead of that. Try thinking ahead of yourself. Watch."

Pansy steps back a few feet and takes two throwing knives off of the vest she's wearing that keeps the knives in place. Her eyes lock onto the dummy as if she's trying to memorize every move it makes before he throws the first two knives only for the dummy to deflect her weapons sideways. She smirks and takes three more knives from her vest. She straightens up and tosses the first two, only this time she's quicker. The dummy deflects them, but just as it moves to whack the second one away Pansy throws the third. The doll hardly has time to react when the knife hits it square in the head. It stops moving completely and Pansy goes over to retrieve her fallen knives with a triumphant smirk. "Now you try."

I blink at her, a bit impressed. "Okay…" I say with an edge to my voice. The dummy starts to move, flailing its arms uncontrollably. I feel like my head is spinning as I try to concentrate on its movements – blinking my eyes to try and focus. "Draco, hit it." Pansy says from the side.

"No, it'll hit _me_!"

"Just do what I did! Trick it – think ahead of yourself."

I follow the dummies' arms a few seconds more before raising my axe up. It swipes a stick across my stomach but I stuck in just before it can touch me. _Think ahead of yourself_. With my axe still raised, I use my leg to try and side kick it, but it's too fast, and it hits my thigh hard with one of the rods. I stagger backwards a bit, dropping my axe to hold my leg, "Son of a – why can't I do this!?"

"You're too aggravated, that's why."

"I'm _always_ aggrieved – you know me!"

"Draco, just try to concentrate."

I grumble and rub my sore leg before standing up right.

"Alright…" I say as I bend down to pick up my axe. I step forward, in front of the dummy, and take a breath. "This stupid doll is gonna die today." I hear Pansy let out a soft laugh from the side and I raise my axe up as if I'm about cut a tree down.

Again, this stupid doll starts thrashing its arms around. I try to control my breathing and grip my weapon tightly as I watch the doll's arms, trying to slow them down with my eyes the best I can. _Concentrate_. With one quick swig I swipe my axe across the dummies' head but its body automatically shrinks down, making me miss. It's aiming at my feet, trying to knock me over. Just before one of the rods can push my legs out from underneath me, I jump over it and land in a crouched position, so that I'm eye level with this thing. I quickly slice the dummies' legs clean off before it can try anything else. I stand up straight and watch it as it stops moving.

I blink. "Oh, God, I did it?"

Pansy jumps into me for a hug, "See!? You do have it in you!"

"Yeah… only you helped…"

"Oh, you just needed a little motivation, give yourself some credit! Hey, it's getting late. You wanna head inside for lunch?"

I look around the training center and see a few tributes piling out. I catch Harry's eye as he enters the elevator. He looks at me blankly before turning away when Ron calls him over. "Yeah." I say, stilling watching him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Breaking the Rules

Finally, we're done with training for the day and I, right away, change into something more comfortable before heading down to dinner. All day, Pansy seemed to be shadowing me. I don't know if it was because she didn't want Harry near me or if she was trying to protect me from Goyle. No offence, but I don't think I need a girl as my body guard, and as far as Harry goes, I don't think he wants anything to do with me after our mishap on the train – which I still feel kind of guilty for. We're about to kill each other and I'm sure the last thing he needed to hear was me making fun of his dead parents. Aside from that, training went well. I'm exhausted though, since I'm far from use to that kind of exercise.

I meet Pansy at the foot of the stairs and we go to sit down at the table. I'm not too hungry – I just want to sleep. Maybe later I'll come down at night, or something, and pick around.

"You're not eating?" I hear Goyle say while he piles up his plate again.

"No, but clearly you're about to eat the whole table…"

"I'd rather eat a lot than be as skinny as you, having no energy what so ever."

I try not to laugh. Is he for real right now?

"If I looked like you I'd-"

Pansy kicks my leg under the table, trying to shut me up. Who cares? Snape and Umbridge are here; Goyle won't do anything but yell at me.

Although, he looks like he's about to bend his fork, the way he's looking at me right now. "Watch it, Malfoy. Everything you say only gets you closer and closer to your funeral."

I'm about to snap back at him when Pansy butts in, "In case _you_ weren't watching him today, he's got the speed of a rabbit. You'll never catch him if you tried, Goyle! So stop picking on him and go back to stuffing your face!"

Goyle looks between Pansy and me for a moment before a smirk snakes on his lips. "I see what's going on here…"

"Wow! Really!?" Pansy says, "You're so stupid, I'm surprised you actually _know_ something! My God, Draco, did you ever think you would see the day…?"

"This will be great for the Games!" Goyle says, completely ignoring what Pansy just said. Her and I look at each other, a bit confused. What is he talking about, now?

"Wait until the Capitol finds out you two are in love!"

"What!?" I say, almost jumping out of my seat. "We're not-" I look over at Pansy and see her with her head down. From what I can make of it, she's blushing.

"Come on, Goyle, leave them alone." I hear Blaise say.

"Quiet, you, or you're next." Goyle says. Blaise just sinks in his seat.

"This is great!" He laughs, putting his hand on Pansy's shoulder. I suddenly feel a rush of anger. He better not lay another hand on her or I swear – "Just wait until I kill your precious little boyfriend right in front of you, Parkinson… That'll really drive the crowd wild."

Pansy shoots up out of her seat, roughly pushing his hand off of her, "Goyle, I swear if you hurt him, _I'll_ be the one to kill _you_!"

"Oh, really!?" He looks at me, "And what do you have to say about this, Malfoy? You're being awfully quiet."

Pansy steps in front of me, blocking Goyle from view, "You have nothing to say to him."

"Parkinson, sit down!" Snape snaps from across the table, "I've had it with this between you three. Save it for the Games, then you can kill each other however the hell you want to!"

I sink in my seat. I just want to hide in a hole, right now. "Oh don't worry." Goyle says, shooting his small eyes at me, since Pansy's now sitting down. "I plan to."

It's a good thing I didn't eat because now I feel nauseous. Why did he have to bring this up? I only feel even more confused then I felt at the parade. _Wait until the Capitol finds out you two are in love!_ Are we in love? Well, maybe not _love,_ but I know I feel something for Pansy, and I'm only realizing it more now that it was brought up. But… Harry… I know I feel something for him too… Ah! I want to yank my hair out – I don't know what to do! Am I torn between both of them? And why does it even matter? Three of us can't live, so I'll never have the opportunity to choose…

"Alright there, Draco?" Umbridge says. I guess she can see that I'm lost in thought.

"W-What?" I look up at her and nod, "I'm okay."

"Good! Everyone to the living room." She giggles before pulling Snape from his chair out of pure excitement. Now, we need to watch the Reaping and the parade. This'll be fun. I guess I can just stare out into space… this isn't something I would want to relive.

I sit down on the sofa and scotch over when I see Pansy and Blaise walking over. Good, at least, Crabbe, Goyle and Marcus won't sit next to us, but that doesn't stop Goyle from giving me the eyes. I'm really getting fed up with this, and for some reason I feel angrier than ever. Maybe it's because of what he said at dinner. I look away from him and ball my fist up against my lap. I can't even pay attention to the TV, but I try. I don't want Goyle to know this bothers me.

"Draco." Pansy says.

"What?" I sound a lot nastier than I intend to.

She looks taken aback, "I'm just… wondering if you're okay is all."

_"Ginny Weasley!"_ Oh, great, this is when Ron volunteers. I sigh before leaning on the arm of the sofa, looking at the wall – boredom and sever aggravation taking me over. I can hear Goyle laughing when Ron jumps out of the crowd.

"Not funny." I say through gritted teeth, not speaking to anyone in particular, but it's meant for Goyle to keep big mouth shut before I shove my fist in it.

"Yes it is!" Goyle answers back.

I roll my eyes and groan.

I hate everyone right now.

"Draco, it's not that bad, just ignore him." Pansy whispers. Something about her tone tells me she's irritated as well. I don't know if she's aggravated about my whining for the fact that Goyle is an inconsiderate git.

I ignore herand when I hear Umbridge say, _"Gregory Goyle!" _I jump up from my seat and laugh hysterically! The whole room gets quiet and everyone is gawking at me, Pansy is pulling on my shirt for me to sit down, Goyle looks shocked, and Snape looks ready to kill us all.

I'm still laughing and pointing at the TV. This must look so childish and Goyle can probably tell I'm forcing this laughter. I just want him to know _I'm so fucking pissed off!_

"Draco! Sit. Down!" Pansy says, still pulling on my shirt.

Now Goyle is standing up, "Yeah, Malfoy, you better listen to your little tramp before-"

My face goes straight, any sign of fake humor fading completely at his comment, "What did you call her?"

"Oh my God…" Pansy sighs and sinks in her seat, "Draco, it's not a big deal-"

"You heard me." Goyle says. "And stop trying, it's not working."

I snicker, "Apparently it is, since you're confronting me about it…" He doesn't answer, "Awww, what's wrong, Goyle? Upset you got picked for the Games? Was it _not_ funny? I think it's hilarious!" I must look insane to him.

"Stop it!" Pansy shouts, jumping to her feet and standing between us. She turns to Goyle. "When will you learn to leave him alone!? Just drop it, Goyle!" Now Snape is leaving the room mumbling, "I'm done with this lot." under his breath. That leaves Umbridge alone with us but she seems to be enjoying the show so she doesn't separate the fight.

"You're on my list, Parkinson." Goyle says.

"Oh, I'm_ terrified_! You know what, Goyle, you're just scared! You know Draco will win so you want him out of the way! You lousy coward!" I'm smirking at this because Goyle looks like he's just seen death. Suddenly Pansy turns to me and my smirk drops, expecting her to yell at me nest. I'm about to say something, but I'm cut off when she grabs the back of my head and presses her lips to mine.

Whoa, what!? Why is she kissing me!? I'm so shocked by this that I attempt to back up, only to land on the sofa with her on top of me. What is happening? We've kissed before but this time it just cuts me way off guard. For a moment I forget we're not the only ones in the room and I'm actually melting into this. Yeah, we're probably being filmed but – you know what? I don't care. We're about to die. If by some miracle, I do win, I'll never even see her again. From now until the moment I'm ripped apart, I live by a new rule: _Live in the moment._ And that's exactly what I'm going to do now.

I feel her smirk against my lips as I shift from under her a bit. She lets out a soft giggle and pulls back to look at me. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't wait anymore." Her face is bright red and she turns away to try and hide it. I smile softly and pull her face back to look at me. "Don't be sorry." I say, leaning her in to kiss her again. I'll admit, I'm confused as hell right now, between her and Harry – they're both running through my mind, but in this moment it's just Pansy. I'm about to lose her and I pull away at the thought. "Draco?" She says softly, placing her hand on the side of my face. I look up at her sadly. "What's wrong?" She sounds concerned. I try to swallow down my emotion, tears are burning the back of my eyes and I pull her closer to me. "I don't want you to leave me…" My voice is starting to break, so I bury my face into her shoulder not wanting anyone else to see me cry.

The others seem to be ignoring us since they turned their attention to the TV. Umbridge on the other hand, is looking at Pansy and me. Kind of creepy, but again, I don't care. However, I can hear Crabbe, Marcus and Goyle talking and laughing silently together.

Pansy sniffles. She's crying too, I know it, "I love you." She says in my ear through soft sobs.

I hug her tightly, shutting my eyes. I want to tell her I love her back, but I don't know I'll be lying. "Draco." She says. "You have to win."

I try to calm down. "I will. For us." I know it's a lie… but I just say it to calm her nerves.

I have a hard time sleeping tonight. Every thought possible is going through my head. Harry, Pansy, Goyle, dying, how I'll die, how _they'll _die, fighting Goyle, getting killed by Goyle… I can honestly go on forever about this, and I actually feel like I'm being stabbed in the heart. There can't be two victors so there definitely can't be three. Even if I do choose either Pansy or Harry, I'll never have that chance to be with either one of them. But I at least want to choose just so I can tell them before I die. I've lost all my friends in one shot, and that's hitting me too. It hurts… in ways you can't imagine… sometimes I feel more afraid for them then I do myself.

Sighing, I turn over in my bed and pull the covers close. The last thing I can remember before I see black is my promise to Pansy. _You have to win._

_I will. For us._

I'm on my way out of the shower when I hear knocking on my door. I'm not even dressed yet and all I'm wearing are boxers, not to mention my hair is dripping wet. If it were anyone else at my door, I'd ignore it but I can make out Pansy's voice, "Draco? You awake?"

"Yeah. Coming, hold on." I say before grabbing a towel for my hair so it doesn't drip in my eyes. When I open my door her face flushes up immediately; she's staring at me a bit oddly. Maybe it's because I'm not wearing a shirt… Hey, it's not my fault; she's the one who decided to bug me while I was practically naked…

"H-Hey…." She says, her voice is cracking, while her eyes grow wide as they trail down my torso, "My gosh…"

I can't help but laugh. "Pansy." I say, snapping my fingers in her face before her eyes go down too far, "I'm up here."

She shakes her head, "Yes, you are! I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking – I mean I didn't mean to – I don't want you think-" She sighs to catch her breath, "Hiiiiii!" She says, waving awkwardly.

"….I can go get a shirt if you're too distracted…"

"No! Noooo, you do _not_ need one!"

I laugh, "Soooo, why are you here?"

Her eyes are going down again. "….Pansy?"

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" She says, looking up at me.

"Yes. Why are you here?"

"Huh….? Oh! Uhm… Why am I here?" Again, her eyes trail down. I roll my eyes, not even bothering to make her look away.

"Okay… I'm gonna go get some clothes now…"

"Huh?"

"I'll meet you downstairs." And I shut my door without turning around. The last thing she needs to do is stare at my ass.

"Girls are so weird…" I whisper to myself before going to find my jumpsuit for training. After getting eye fucked by Pansy I feel naked in this thing. I finally come to notice that it's really tight, which is probably why Harry was looking at me yesterday. I turn red at the thought.

As soon as I get downstairs, everyone is gawking at me, including Pansy, but not as much as she was five minutes ago. "…What?" I say a bit nervously, looking around the room at everyone's curious faces.

"That was some show last night, Malfoy!" Goyle says. "That's enough!" Snape snaps.

I roll my eyes and sit down, taking a piece of bacon off of Pansy's plate since there's none left.

"…Classy." Pansy says.

"I know I am." I say to her with a smirk.

"So, Malfoy." I hear Goyle say. I try to ignore him as I munch on the bacon imagining it's his skull breaking between my teeth. "I was thinking you and I can have a little duel today." I almost choke, "What!?" I cough.

"Uhm, Goyle, I don't think that's such a good idea…" Pansy says.

"I wasn't asking you, Parkinson."

"I don't care! You're not dueling Draco!"

"That's not for you to decide, now, is it?"

"Fine." I say before Pansy can put another word in.

"Fine!?" She echoes, "Draco–"

"Don't worry, he can't kill me…" I whisper. "Sure, we'll duel." I say louder, so Goyle can hear me. He smirks and goes back to his breakfast, which involves a lot of eggs…. I hate eggs….and Goyle… now all I can think of are _rotten _eggs…

Pansy sighs before pushing her plate in front of me, "I'm done. You can have the scraps."

"Awesome." I say before picking up a piece of toast that she didn't even touch. Next to me, I hear her groan in aggravation. Looking at her, I notice she's scratching her elbow. "Pansy, you alright?" I say with a bit of a laugh.

"What? Oh, yes. I'm okay. My arm is just – forget it!"

I look at her arm and see a long thin bump. It's thicker near her elbow but as it trails down her arm it looks thinner. Whatever it is, the jumpsuit only makes it obvious that something is hidden in her sleeve since it's so tight. But, I'm not going to ask questions – I'm hungry, so I'm just going to mind my own business and finish eating. I don't want any more trouble. Everything I say only turns into an argument anyway…

"When you all are done, get to the Training Center." Snape beings, as he gets up. "Deloris and I will meet you all there."

"Okay." Pansy says awkwardly, trying to hide her arm under the table.

Once I'm done eating I push the plate away from me. "Ready to go?" Pansy asks. I nod. "Sure."

As soon as we get up, the others follow us to the elevator that's nearby. "Now, don't chicken out on our duel, Malfoy." Goyle says, pushing Pansy out of the way so he can stand next to me in the elevator.

"Oh, I'm not planning on it, Goyle."

All of the houses are already training when we get to the training center. I'm about to follow Pansy to the weaponry when Goyle grabs my shirt, "Ah, ah, ah. I told you, no chickening out." I look at Pansy and she shakes her head. "Let me just get a weapon first." I say as I look back up at Goyle. He gives me this look like I'm about to trick him before letting me go roughly. I stumble slightly and roll my shoulder, where he grabbed me. Cautiously, I head on over to the weapon rack. Harry's looking at me from the obstacle course with suspicious eyes. He's panting and looks tired, like he's done that course a few dozen times already. I give him this desperate look that calls for help and pull my axe off of the rack.

Now, I'm beginning to have second thoughts about this duel. When I turn around to make my way back to Goyle, his arms are crossed across his big chest, and he's smirking deviously at me. "Okay…" I say nervously. "I'm ready."

"Good." On the corner of my eye I can still see Harry looking over. It's like he's looking to see if there's any rule breaking. Suddenly I feel Goyle grab my shirt, and I let out a yelp of shock as he pulls me forward. Harry's eyes widen at this and he jolts forward like he'd ready to jump in to help me but stops himself.

"What are you looking at, pretty boy!?"

"N-Nothing!" I say, trying to pull back from him. Goyle glares at me for a moment and pushes me away. "Go to the duel section. I'll meet you there."

I flinch when he swipes a hand up, like he's about to hit me, but doesn't. Goyle laughs, lowers his hand to his side, and starts to walk away to get his weapon.

I swallow down my fear and look over at Harry. He has this expression of complete worry on his face, like he can tell I'm being abused. I hope he can read me. I'm terrified right now.

Stiffly, I stand on the mat, waiting for Goyle to arrive. I see him push a young Hufflepuff out of the way just to get to the weapon rack to retrieve his sword. When he has it in his possession he starts making his way to me with an evil smirk on his face. I back up when he gets closer.

"You look scared, Malfoy."

Because I am! I'm scared to death of him right now!

Looking back at Harry, I'm pleading for help with my eyes.

Pansy was right… I shouldn't have agreed to this.

I swallow hard when Goyle and I stand face to face with our weapons raised in front of our faces like swords.

He's smirking at me and I know I must look petrified to him. "On three," I say, "then we fight…"

"On three…" He repeats with a smirk.

"One…" I say cautiously.

"Two…" Goyle says.

We both look at each other for a long time before Goyle's smirk grows into an evil sneer, "Three!" My eyes widen in fear! He swishes his sword at me and I can't block fast enough! My axe almost slips from my hand and I stumble backwards and hit the mat beneath me.

He's coming at me, sword raised! I roll out of the way just in time for him to bring the sword down, only to miss me and hit the mat. "Stay still, Malfoy!"

"Goyle, you can't do this! You're breaking the rules!"

"Just like I'm about to break you!"

I'm still on the ground, too scared to attack him with my weapon. I back up, frantically until my back presses against the wall. "Goyle, stop!" He's holding his sword up, like he's about to stab it through my chest! I shut my eyes, and pull my arm across my face; waiting for my blood to spill. Only, nothing happens. Suddenly I hear Goyle's voice, "Out of the way, Potter!"

What? Potter? Slowly and cautiously, I open my eyes, and remove my arm from my face. Sure enough, Harry is actually standing in front of me, with a weapon aimed at Goyle's chest. It looks like a spear.

"I said _move!_" Goyle says, attempting to push Harry out of the way, but Potter only presses the pointed end of his spear at Goyle's chest making him freeze in place, "Don't come any closer."

"You'd give your life for _him!?_"

I look up at Harry with complete and utter fear, begging him not to let Goyle kill me. He looks over his shoulder at me with a softly smile. "Yes. I would. Now back off, Goyle, or I'll dig out your heart!"

"You little-" Goyle rises up his sword, but before Harry can even react I hear a loud, _"Sectumsempra!"_

Goyle yells in pain as his body hits the wall next to me, and lands, soaked in blood, on the mat. I'm frozen in fear as I stare down at his unmoving body, watching at his blood begins to form a trail to me. I finally turn away and look up at Harry is shock – even he looks scared. Looking past him, I see Pansy with her wand pointed. Harry lowers his spear in shock and backs up.

"Pansy…" I say in a small voice.

That's what was up her sleeve before – it was her wand! But why? They're going to kill her!

Goyle's breathing heavily next to me, his blood forming a puddle around his body. I know what that feels like… Harry once used that spell on me, but I don't think he knew what kind of damage it could have caused. Judging by the look on Potter's face, it's brining back awful memories.

Everyone in the center is staring at us and suddenly an alarm goes off. Something overhead is causing the Training Center to emanate in red, flickering light – like an emergency signal. Five Game Keepers burst over from a back door near the bleachers, and grab Pansy by the arms, yanking her wand away. She's screaming and thrashing her body to get away. Two of the Game Keepers hoist Goyle's unconscious, bloody body off of the floor, while the other three are taking Pansy away.

"You made a big mistake, missy." One of them says. Pansy keeps screaming. I need to do something! They'll kill her if I don't and I can't lose her yet!

"No!" I jump up and try to fight them off of her. One of them elbows me so hard in the rib cage that I feel a bit winded at first. But I still won't let them take her!

"Draco!" Pansy screams. They're pulling her to the opposite side of the bleachers, to a different door then the one they recently came from. God only knows what they'll to her in that room.

"No… Stop!" I'm not letting this happen. I run after them, forcing these people away from her. "You can't do this!" One of the three Game Keepers let's Pansy go and grabs my arms, wrapping them behind my back to restrain me. I yelp in pain at how rough he's being, but still managed to say, "Stop! The Games haven't even started yet, you can't kill her!"

"You don't make the rules, boy!" The Games Keeper says, yanking me back harder as I try to get my arms free.

"It's not fair, please! She was just trying to save me!"

The two Game Keepers holding Pansy suddenly stop to look at me like I might actually have a point. I look up at them desperately. "Please. Don't kill her…" Pansy is crying and breathing heavy. I've never seen her so scared and it hurts to look at her like this, "Take her wand if you have to but don't hurt her! I'm begging you, give her a chance…" The Game Keepers look at each other for agreement. "Let them go." One of them says at last, looking back at me.

As soon as we're released, Pansy runs into me, crying. I hug her tight and I can actually feel her body trembling against mine. "This better not happen again. You're just lucky the Games haven't begun." One Game Keeper says. He snaps Pansy's wand in half, making bits of dark sparks emanate from the broken wood, like waves of black fire.

When they walk away, the tributes in the center slowly go back to what they were doing.

"Draco…"

"It's okay, it's okay." I say, trying to calm her down. "God, Pansy when will you stop trying to get killed?"

"When will you stop trying to save me?" She says through sobs.

I hug her tighter, "Until the moment I die." I catch Harry's eye. He must have been watching us this whole time. He smiles sadly and I can't do anything but just look at him. Great, now Harry knows about Pansy and me. I want to thank him for saving my life, but it looks like I'll never get that chance.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Nightmares

When Pansy finally stops crying, I take her to the bleachers so she can sit down since she's still shaken up pretty bad. I can't help but feel like part of this is my fault – Pansy almost got executed for trying to save my life. If she died because I was stupid enough to agree with Goyle in dueling, I'd never live it down.

"Hey." Blaise says as he walks over, "She okay?"

Pansy has her head against my shoulder, as I'm hugging her against me, "Yeah, I think she'll be fine." I say flatly.

"Well, on the plus side, you won't have to worry about Goyle anymore."

I try not to laugh, "Yeah, until the Games…"

"But at least for now he'll be out of your way. He's being sent to training solitude and their even taking the dueling section away. I heard some Game Keepers talking about it while they pulled Goyle's bloody body off of the floor."

"Well, good."

Blaise looks down at Pansy, "What kind of spell did you use anyway? Looked pretty… painful…"

A chill runs down my spine, "Tell me about it." I say to myself as I look around for Harry. He's with Ron at the weaponry that's actually not too far from where we're sitting. I never did thank him for sticking up for me…

"Blaise, can you take care of Pansy for a minute?" I say, and feel Pansy shifting off of me as I speak.

"Sure." He says before sitting in my spot.

I know Ron won't like the idea of me talking to Harry, in fact he's looking at me right now as I'm walking towards them. He does _not_ look happy. In fact his face is so red with anger it's almost the color of his hair. Harry doesn't seem to notice but Ron taps his shoulder to get his attention. When Harry picks up his head I'm already there.

"Hey…." I say dully, trying to avoid Ron's eyes.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy? Get lost." Ron says coldly, "You only cause trouble whenever you're around."

"Ron." Harry says, a bit angrily, like he's telling Ron to shut his mouth with the bitterness of his tone.

"What? That's the deal, he knows it." Harry smacks his arm.

I roll my eyes, "I didn't come here for you, Weaslebee."

"A little too old for nick names, aren't we?"

"Ron, stop it. He almost died twice today, would you lay off?" I bit my lip. I really wish he would stop sticking up for me. It makes me look weak, and that's the last thing I need right now. At least Goyle isn't here to observe this…

Ron looks taken aback and glares at me before leaving the weaponry in a huff, mumbling something insulting under his breath, but I don't take the time to harass him about it.

"Sorry." Harry says. "About him…."

I swallow hard. I feel nervous to talk to him for some reason, "It's okay…"

"So, what's up?" I'm about to tell him, but I stop, and watch as he throws his spear at a target that's pined to a wall about twelve feet away. My eyes widen. He got it perfect; right in the middle. It took me at least 20 minutes to beat up a dummy and it took him about 5 seconds to hit a target. I'm pretty impressed, actually.

"U-Uhmm." I'm still in shock at what he just did and I can't take my eyes off that spear in the wall. "How… How did you do that?"

"Do what – oh, it's easy." He goes over to get his spear out of the wall, "I can show you if you want?"

"I use an axe, though." I say, "Not a spear."

Harry shrugs as he walks back over, "It's almost the same difference. Come on."

"You… you wanna teach me? Is this a trick?"

He smirks, "No." He says with a bit of a laugh, "I don't wanna end up like Goyle. Don't worry."

"What if…. but I can take your head off… I'm clumsy with weapons."

"You won't, trust me. I'll stay out of your way. Just aim for the target and you'll be fine."

I look over at the target he just hit. It's so far away, and that little dot in the middle looks so small from where I'm standing. "H-How?" I ask, my voice cracking a bit. _Calm down, it's just Potter. _I know I like him, but I shouldn't feel _this_ awkward around him.

He goes over to the weapon rack nearby and pulls off my axe, handing it to me.

"How do you know how to even do this, Potter?" I say.

"Hermione." He says.

I blink, "She even reads books on this stuff?"

"She's been studying self-defense since the first annual games."

I shrug and twirl my axe patiently, waiting for him to say something. "Okay. Now what do I do." He stands in somewhat of a martial arts T-stance with his left foot pointed at the target, while his right foot looks like it's about forty-five or ninety degrees to it. I'm confused already and try to copy him. "Keep your knees loose; don't be stiff." He says.

I shift a bit and loosen up, rising my weapon in probably the wrong way. "Like this?"

"…No." He moves out of his stance but I stay still. Now, he's moving behind me like he's teaching me how to play golf. I feel my face flushing up.

He grabs my arm that's holding the axe and shifts it so my weapon is lined up with my shoulder. "Straighten your back." He says. The pressure of his breath on my neck shoots a chill up my spin. "I'm nervous." I say. "Don't be, it's just practice. Now straighten." I pin my back up straight, and I can hear a little laugh of amusement escape him.

He moves my other hand outward, just slightly, for balance.

"Am I ready?"

"Almost." He backs off to look me over. Apparently I'm still wrong because he comes back, only this time he grabs my hand and moves it down to the very end of the axe handle. "Okay, uhm… Try anchoring a fingertip on the bottom of the handle." I do what he says and he turns his head at the target. "You're about 12 feet away…"

"What's that mean?"

"Well, it'll end up doing one full rotation when you throw."

"When do I throw?"

"…You're still standing wrong for some reason…"

"Well, fix me, Potter!"

"I'm working on it, hold on." Suddenly I feel stiff. He moves his hands down to my waist to gently turn me. Now my jumpsuit is really feeling tight. "You're waist just needed to be square. Okay. I think you're ready." He takes his hands off of me and moves them back up to my right arm. He bends it outward like he's testing the throw, only he's not extending my arm fully. "Now, when you throw, your elbow should be bent slightly so it isn't locked out straight – try thinking of hammering a nail into the wall. And when you swing, swing the axe face down with just enough force to get it right."

"Okay…" I say uneasily.

He backs off to give me room, "Now, throw."

Something tells me not to and I just stay still. "What if I miss…?"

"It's okay. Just try not to think about it."

"Potter, how do you _not_ think about it?"

"Shut up, Malfoy, and throw."

"I can't-"

"Now."

"Without thinking?!" Now I'm under pressure, "How do you throw a weapon without thinking about it?! You're an awful teacher, Potter!"

"Don't think just throw. Draco, it's not that difficult." He sounds calm and that alone is getting on my nerves.

My mind is going all over the place that I actually forget what I'm doing. The next thing I know I let my arm go and my axe is in the target. I freeze for a moment before I can grasp what just happened. "Did I just do that?"

Harry smirks and crosses his arms across his chest, "Think I'm a bad teacher now?"

"Harry!" Ron calls from the weight section, waving him over. "I'll be right there." Harry says back, "Well… bye, Draco."

I catch his arm before he can walk away from me, "Potter… Uhm… I wanted to thank you… for – I mean – with Goyle… you didn't have to do that."

He smiles softly at me, "Yes I did. I'll see you, Malfoy." Finally, I let go of his arm and he runs off. I got the opportunity to thank him but I still feel like something is missing. Yes – admitting that I like him, but that's never going to happen. I need to say I'm sorry for what happened on the train first. Harry isn't the one to forget about things, actually, stuff like that stays on his mind for a long time, but he'll never bring it up or show he's hurt. My next thought really turns my stomach – everything that happened between us in the past is probably nagging at his mind. Why did he feel the need to save my pathetic life anyway? And why would he help me with survival like he just did? Why does he care if I die? No one else does… everyone here just cares about themselves; all they care about is worrying about how _they'll_ live, no one else's lives should matter to them. Although, Harry's and Pansy's lives matters more to me than anything, maybe mine matters the same to them. Why – I don't know. I just wonder what death feels like. Is there a Heaven? Will I even _go_ there if there is one? What if all I see is blackness for eternity? I feel cold at the thought.

"Draco?" I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder. It's Pansy. I guess she can tell I'm out of it. For some reason I can't look at her, instead I look around the center. We're all here to train just to take each other's lives. This is wrong. I don't care if I'm a Death Eater – that doesn't mean I agree to this. That doesn't mean I like seeing people get killed – people I love – people I'm friends with…

"Draco." Pansy says again.

"Sorry…" I say and turn my head to look at her. "Lost in thought again…"

"You wanna head back down? It's three o'clock."

I nod at her and head out to the elevator, glancing over my shoulder at Harry as I walk to the doors. He just threw a weight bigger than Goyle's head about 15 feet. My stomach sinks. I couldn't even _lift _that weight if I tried, especially if it's as big as Goyle's fat head.

"Dray. You coming." Pansy says.

"Yes..." I say flatly before joining her and Blaise in the elevator down the hall.

"Draco, you look ill." Blaise says as he grabs my shoulder. I'm leaning against the crystal wall, slouched over. He's right, I feel a bit dizzy, and I don't know why. The Games are three days away, so many it's anxiety. I wonder what they even do with the bodies once they're – you know… dead? And why did such a horrid thought even cross my mind?

I groan as I place my hand on my forehead. "Let me see him." Pansy says, pushing my hand away to feel my forehead. "You're a bit warm. When we get back, I'll tell Snape you need to rest."

"You think Snape will allow that?" Blaise says with a laugh.

"I'll make him, Blaise, don't worry. Just tell Snape what happened and I'll get Draco to his room."

The whole elevator is spinning so I don't even answer, but I see Blaise nod when the door slides open. Two Hufflepuffs walk in while we walk out.

"Snape." Pansy says. Sure enough, he's back with Umbridge and they're sitting at the table talking. I didn't even notice them leave the Training Center. "I'm taking Draco up to his room to rest."

"No you're not, Parkinson, he needs to train and so do you."

She's about to answer but Blaise takes over, "He did pretty well, Snape. I think he deserves a rest."

Snape looks thoughtful for a moment and Umbridge gives him a slight nod. "Fine. He can rest. But I want you back at the center, Blaise."

"Thank you, Snape." Pansy says and looks over at Blaise. He gives her a sad look, "I'm sorry, Pansy… can you take care of him from here?"

"Don't worry, Blaise, he's in good hands."

He gives her a grateful smile before going back to the elevator.

I clumsily follow Pansy up the stairs to get to my room. Honestly, I don't know why I feel like this. Maybe it was from over thinking, or the thought of losing everything. Whatever it is, I hope it passes soon.

"If you can talk, tell me what happened." She says as she sits me down on my bed.

I shake my head, "Dizzy." I say.

"Okay, lay down." She pushes my chest until my back is against my bed. I see her get up but I grab her arm, "Don't go." I rasp.

"I'm not going anywhere." She says. For some reason my vision is blurry so I just keep my eyes shut and turn over on my side. The bed moves – like someone just go on it from the other side – and I feel something hug me. Slowly, I open one eye. Pansy's got her face buried into my chest and her arms wrapped around me.

"You'll be okay." She says, "I mean in the Games. I saw you with Harry. It was pretty impressive what you did."

"Really?" I manage to say and wrap my arms around her waist.

"Yes." She cuddles closer to me. "You're going to win, Draco. I know you are."

"Pansy, why don't we just run away?" I don't know what makes me say this, but I don't want to win without her.

"They'll kill us, that's way."

"We can sneak out. It's not like they can find us – the Capitol is huge."

"And if we do run away, how far will we get before they do?"

I sigh, "This just… isn't right. How long can this go on? More of us will be scarified, year after year and for what?"

"What could you do, Draco? This is your dad's decision. Haven't you even talked to him about it?"

I nod, "Yes. I told him when these Games were still in the thinking stage. The thought of actually sacrificing teenagers made me sick… I only got a smack in my face for telling him the whole thing is wrong."

Suddenly she pulls back, "He hit you?!"

"It's not a big deal. Hermione punched me once, and Goyle almost broke my ribs and skull this week. Plus I got several death threats from him…"

"Draco, this is different, he's your father, you're his son. This has to stop."

"Why does it matter to you?" I want to yell, but I'm still a little dizzy, though I think I'm starting to come out of it.

"Why does it matter?" She echoes, "Draco, why do you think nobody cares about you? Both Harry and I attempted to save your life today-"

"I never _asked_ to be saved, and neither one of you had to do it."

She looks taken aback, "And you were _clearly_ able to handle yourself when Goyle almost brought that sword down on your head."

"What was I supposed to do?! If I tried to hit him back I would have gotten in trouble too. Besides, I'm terrified of him. Whenever he looks at me it's like he's trying to kill me with his eyes."

"Seems to me like he's scared of _you_."

"Oh, yeah, you can smell the fear." I say with a laugh.

"I'm just saying, I think he knows you're capable of winning."

"Mhmm. Okay. I'm gonna go get changed." I say and get up from the bed, slowly. I still feel a bit dizzy, but much better than before. Whatever that was, at least it's gone now.

"I am too. Can I come back when I'm done? I don't want to be alone." She says.

I don't really want anyone in my room, but I personally don't want to be alone either. So I just nod at her and go over to my dresser. When she finally leaves, I go to change in the bathroom into something more casual – a pair of jeans and a black hoodie.

I wonder if Pansy knew Goyle wanted to duel me. She could have overheard Goyle saying something to Crabbe or Marcus. Maybe that's why she snuck her wand in. I still don't want anyone risking their life for me, whether it's Potter or Pansy. Harry already saved my life once, I don't need him to make a habit of it, and I just don't want him to die. I'd rather him win the Games than me – he deserves it after all. Potter has nothing. He's got no family and he's living on his own back home. If he wins these Games he's set for life. But, again, this is all so wrong. I can't even confront my father about it – if I do, and if he does stop these Games, the other Death Eaters will probably kill him for it anyway. My father isn't the one to just let things go, so talking to him about it won't make much of a difference.

Sighing, I look down at the dark mark on my arm once my jumpsuit if finally off. I wonder what people really think about a Death Eater being in the Games. And what if I do die, how will that reflect on my father? They might think of him as weak. And I personally think he is. I'm through lying to myself – I _hate_ him. I wish he were dead, because if he were, these Games would probably end. But he's too weak and scared to make a stand even though he knows this is all inhumane.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when I hear a knock on my door. "Draco, I'm back." Quickly, I pull my sweatshirt on – making sure I'm wearing one this time – and go to open the door.

"They're cooking downstairs, are you hungry?" Pansy asks.

I shake my head.

"Will you please eat something? You'll shrivel away!"

"I'm not hungry. You go down if you want, I'm taking a nap, we have our sessions tomorrow, we'll need rest."

"And we'll also need food."

I almost forgot about our individual sessions. Training lasts for three days, but on the last day we only have regular training in the morning. Around three o'clock are our individual session for the Game Keepers where we each show them what we've learned in the past three days. After, they broadcast our scores on live TV so everyone can see how awful we did. I still don't know what I'll do for my session. Beat up a dummy maybe, but I still don't know for sure.

"We can always go down later." I say and turn around to go to my bed. I can hear Pansy shut the door behind her as she walks in.

"I suppose…"

I lie down on my bed and feel her crawl onto my chest. I blink and stiffen up a bit. "You said you wanted a nap, so good-night." She nuzzles against me and I can't help but smile and hold her closer.

I'm back at my manor, but the whole house is empty. "Dad?" I say aloud. The whole room echoes since there's nothing but black walls around me, like I've been dragged in by the darkness. I take a few carful steps forward as if the floor would crumble from under me and swallow me up into nothingness. "Draco…" A raspy voice says. I pick my head up see my father standing in a doorway, which must have just appeared, since it wasn't there when I walked in. He looks... almost ill. His hair is still long, but slightly matted and his eyes look black as if he hasn't gotten a decent sleep in years. "He wants to see you." He says.

"Who wants to see me?" It's like he doesn't even hear me and just turns to walk through the doorway. He disappears in the blackness. Through that doorway looks like a blank piece of black paper, like entering a pitch black tunnel to find no way out the other side. At first, I'm afraid to follow him, but something tells my legs to move forward.

"Welcome, Draco." A snake like voice says. My heart starts to pound in my chest. In front of me is an almost empty room with one long table set in the middle. Death Eaters are sitting around it, their heads down, like he'll kill them if they dare to look up.

He's sitting at the head of the table and slowly stands up to walk towards me. I try to back up, even though I want to run, but the door slams shut behind me. For a second it feels like my heart stops beating.

What is happening? What does he want with me?

I keep backing up with every step he takes to me until my back is pressed to the wall. My breath hitches with fear. "I have a mission for you, Draco." Voldemort says. He grabs my left arm roughly and I pull it away fast.

"I'm not doing anything for you." I snap with a slight quiver to my tone. Voldemort's face drops, so serious he looks about ready to kill. I'm so scared to the point where I feel like I can't breathe. "Don't hurt me…"

"I'll do more than just hurt you." He hisses before raising out from his pure black cloak. My eyes shoot open and I try to run – where, I don't know, just somewhere away from him.

_"Curcio!"_

My whole body suddenly feels like it's being stabbed by daggers and I drop to the floor in agony. I've never been hit by the Cruciatus Curse, but I've never been in so much pain; it's more intense than anything I've ever felt. My head feels like it's about to explode and I'm screaming more than I've ever screamed in my whole life. _"Curcio!" _He hisses again. I yell louder, just wishing he'd kill me. I open my eyes long enough to see every Death Eater staring, only none of them have faces – they're all shrouded by hoods. My heart feels like it's being ripped out when I see Pansy. She's the only one I can see clearly – the only _face_ I can see.

"Help me!" I manage to yell. But she does nothing except stare at me in pain.

_"Curcio!"_

I'm about to explode. It feels like every one of my organs are spazing inside of me and I can't stop screaming. Finally, Voldemort stops and I'm breathing so heavy, that I may never catch my breath.

He kneels down beside me and grabs my left arm, rolls up my sleeve and points the tip of his wand at my skin. I'm too weak to do anything but suddenly it feels like there's a worm moving around in my arm. I grunt in pain and throw my head back. I'm so terrified, that I'm scraping the floor boards with my nails.

"Stop…" I rasp.

An evil smirk snakes onto Voldemort's lips as he backs off. "You're now a Death Eater, Draco."

I pant and hold up my arm so I can see what he did to me. What I see is that hideous dark mark staring right back at me – it makes me want to cut my own arm off. I'm shaking so intensely that my arm drops. The last face I see is Pansy and she yelling my name.

"Draco!" A voice calls, but it's faint and kind of echoed. "Draco!" I feel something grab my shoulder and I bolt up screaming, holding my left arm to my chest.

"Draco…" Pansy says calmly, grabbing my arm. I jump at her touch, but calm down a bit when she hugs me against her. "It was just a dream, you're okay…" She rubs my back but I'm still panting, and my eyes are so wide that I can't blink. From what I can make of it, it's night time. I must have been asleep for a while…

"He was gonna kill me." I say, terrified.

"No, no, no, shhh. Calm down, Draco, it's okay. You're fine, it was only a nightmare."

I clutch my arm tighter, "It felt so… real."

I'm shaking. I feel my body quivering against hers. "I'm here, it's okay. He's dead, Draco. Gone. He won't hurt you anymore." I'm still too shaken to talk and I feel her brining me down on the bed. Out of fear, I grip onto her shirt as if she'd leave me if I didn't.

"I'm right here, Draco." She kisses my head and hugs me tighter. "And I'll never leave you…"

AN: Wooo! Only two more chapters until we get to the Games and let death take it's course! I hope you guys like this so far, becasue, as for me, this is so much fun to write. I love Draco, and really wanted this to focus on him. He just seems so misunderstood in the series so I wanted to give him a little more background on his Death Eater life - and how much he hates it. This poor baby, I wanna hug him!  
Well... I hope you guys keep reading becasue shit will go down soon, it will go DOWN.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Individual Session

I wake up groaning and stretch my arm out to the other side of the bed, searching for Pansy, only to feel the empty space of mattress and sheets between my fingers. My eyes shoot open and I sit up with a gasp. "Pansy!?" I'm still freaked out over that dream. It really did feel like I was being cursed, like every inch of my body was being stabbed by scorching hot knives. The pain was unbearable and even now I'm still feeling the side effects of it: dizzy, shaken, not to mention terrified. For a minute, I even forget where I am.

"Draco?" I jump at the sound of my name and quickly turn my head to the bathroom. My heart starts to slow down when I see Pansy walking over to me.

She kneels down on her side of the bed, next to me, and brushes my bangs out of the way, "Calm down, it's okay." She says calmly.

I take a breath, trying to calm myself down. I see her reach over to my left arm and I quickly pull it away. "I won't hurt you, Draco. I just want to see it."

"Why? It's not like it's gone."

"Draco, calm down. I just want to see it… I promise I won't hurt you…"

Hesitantly, I give her my arm. Pansy gently pulls up my sleeve, like my arm might fall off if she isn't careful. My stomach turns when I see that mark and I look away, urging to just yank my arm out of her grasp, pull my sleeve over it and _never_ look at it again. It makes me sick, it really does.

"You know, it really isn't that bad. Just try and forget it's even there." I know she's trying to make me feel better, and I appreciate it, but it isn't working. If she had this thing on _her_ arm she'd be worse off than me… I guess you'd have to be a Death Eater to understand…

Suddenly my heart lurches when I notice the time on the little clock that's on my nightstand. 9:15. I slept in an extra forty-five minutes.

"We gotta go!" I say and bolt out of bed. My head is still spinning from the nightmare and I don't even have time to take a shower. I'm about to run to the bathroom and change when I can hear Snape yelling from downstairs, cursing and screaming for me to get my ass to the training center.

"I heard you the first ten million times, Snape!" I shout out my door before slamming it shut.

"Whoa!" Pansy says with a laugh, "You mad?"

"I'm always mad! That rotten man just won't let me live!"

"Well, none of us actually will…"

I shoot her a nasty look and she turns away with a red face. "Too soon. Sorry. I-I'll just go in my room before you throw something hard at my face."

"Good idea." I say as my eyes follow her as she leaves.

She inches out of my room like I'm turning into the Devil and shuts the door behind her softly, as if the slightest noise will make my the ceiling come crashing down. When she's finally gone I run to the bathroom, quickly change and rush on downstairs.

Snape is already waiting for me at the foot of the staircase and grabs me by the hair once I appear. At first I flinch and try to fight him only because I think he's Goyle at first, and that one time back on the train, when he first pulled me by my hair, wasn't the best time of my life.

"Ow! Snape, what's the deal? Let me go!"

He starts dragging me to the elevator. "You're more than forty-five minutes late, Malfoy! That's over forty-five minutes wasted of training!"

I try to keep up with him, and by now my head is starting to hurt. The only _slightly_ good thing about this is that Goyle is much stronger and I don't think Snape is actually trying to hurt me. He's just pissed.

"I'll make up for it! I still got until the afternoon to train."

"You won't have time _'to make up for it' _in the arena, now would you, Malfoy? If this were the Games, you'd be slaughtered in your sleep by now."

He presses the button to call the elevator and just then, Potter arrives. Great, he's witnessing me getting beat up again, this time by my mentor. His face is priceless, though. He's between trying not to laugh, and also looking terrified since Snape is giving him the death stare.

"What are you doing here, Potter? Late too I suppose?"

"That's not really your concern, now, is it?" Harry says. I try to shift out of Snape's grasp but he pulls me back. "Ah!" I yelp.

"Don't move, you."

Harry smirks, the fear finally leaving his eyes when he notices me in pain. "Well, I never thought I'd see the day. Snape's finally teaching his favorite student some manners."

"Don't you have a spear to throw, Potter?!" I say.

"You both have something to do." Snape says when the elevator finally opens. He tosses me inside and I stumble to catch my balance using the crystal wall to support me. "Don't kill each other… yet." Harry walks in just when the door starts to slide shut.

I groan and try to flatten down my now, messy hair. I hear Harry snicker. "And what are you laughing at!?"

"The irony. I never thought Snape would discipline _you: _his favorite little Slytherin."

"Congratulations, your dreams have finally come true." I say, irritated.

He leans against the crystal wall with his arms crossed across his chest. He thinks he's hot stuff, now, doesn't he? I just roll my eyes.

"So you woke up late." He's not even questioning it.

"So you did too." I say back.

"….Guess we're even, then…"

"Guess so…." I sigh. This elevator ride is taking too long. I need to say something to bypass these next few miserable minutes of Hell.

"Potter." I say.

"Malfoy."

I feel my face turning red and I look away. I always did like the way he says my name.

"Uhm… About what happened on the train…"

He's suddenly quiet and shifts against the wall. These next words that are about to come out of my mouth pains me.

"I'm…" I bite my lip. I hate the "S" word. "I'm sorry… F-For what I said – I guess I was just trying to hide what I really wanted to say…"

He titles his head and pushes off of the wall, like he's interested in what I actually did want to say to him – what I still want to say.

"And what was that?" He asks.

I swallow down the lump in my throat and look up in his green eyes. Those perfect green eyes… "I…"

_Tell him, you're about to die anyway, it won't matter._

"Okay, Potter, I-"

The door slides open and my shoulders drop in disappointment. Damn it… I was so close.

We walk to the Training Center in silence since there are a few Tributes walking the hall. When we get to the Center, Harry turns back to me. I can tell my face is beat red by the hot feeling in my cheeks, and I can't look at him anymore because of it.

"What is it, Draco?" Now he sounds concerned.

"N-Nothing… Never mind, it's not important…" I know he can tell I'm lying since he's quiet for a moment and looking me over with a suspicious look on his face.

"Well…. okay… good luck today…" He says dully, sounding a bit disappointed.

I nod. "Yeah… you too…." He remains standing next to me for a few seconds or so, like I'll change my mind and decide to tell him. When he's convinced I won't, he leave me to meet Ron near the weights. I sigh and watch him leave before I go look for Pansy and Blaise.

"Did you tell him!?" I hear Blaise say. I pick my head up to see him standing in front of me. Pansy is sitting behind him on the bleachers.

"Tell who, what?" I say flatly; no feeling. I suddenly just feel so depressed. I want to tell Harry, I really do, but he'll only resent me even more than he ever did. He'll be gone soon; I'll lose him… I want to tell him – I have to.

"You know _what_, Dray. So did you?" Blaise says. He's reminding me of a high school teenager – so interested in the drama and romance…

I shake my head and go take my axe off of the weapon rack, "You're wasting your time, Blaise…" Wrong. I'm the one who's wasting time.

He must have seen how upset I was and gave up since he stopped talking about it from then on.

I'm all off today. I can't get Harry out of my mind and I can't concentrate on training. I tried the dummy and it won against me, bruising up my right leg pretty badly. I tried the obstacle course against Blaise and he beat me four times. I attempted the weights but couldn't even lift one. I even tried working on my axe throwing that Harry taught me… it failed ten times. So now Pansy and I are working on snares. I mind as well know what they look like at least, so I can watch out for traps and nets – if I get caught in one of those I'm done for.

"Draco, what's with you today?" Pansy asks.

I'm playing with a piece of rope, not even attempting to tie it. "Is it that dream?"

I shake my head.

"…Snape?" I shake my head again, not taking my eyes off my rope. If I look at her I might lose it and break down, because Harry isn't the only one I'm losing. Suddenly I feel her hand on my knee and she leans in. "Draco, talk to me. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Draco…"

I look at her. "Pansy, really. Just… Stop." She pulls back, I guess seeing the sadness in my eyes. Nothing gets past my best friends; sometimes they know me better then I know myself, and I know for a fact that Pansy is far from blind as to what's going on between Harry and me, she just tries not to notice.

"O-Okay, but… The sessions? Do you know what you're going to do? Not that you can tell me, I'm just curious."

Why does she have to bring this up? I've never trained this awful in these past three days, and when I do, it just so happens to be on the day of our sessions. The Games are two days away now and my anxiety is building up by the second. Ever get that feeling when you just want to hit something really, really hard? Or get the urge to just bang your head against the wall out of pure aggravation? Well, that's exactly how I feel right now. What will I do for my session? I have no idea… and as far my interview goes, I don't even know what I'll say. That'll be the first time my _"fans"_ hear me speak. I have to put on a good show even though I don't want to. I'm not a good public speaker – in front of small crowds – maybe, but in front of an audience? I'm lucky if my knees don't wobble from under me.

"No…" I say, gripping my piece of rope tighter, trying to fight the urge to throw a fit. My nails dig into my palm making my knuckles turn white.

"Well… do you want some help?" Pansy asks. "We can train together and-"

"I told you, just top it, okay?!" That sounded way too mean, even for me. And I can tell I hurt her by the look she's giving me. I sigh and turn back to my rope. "I'm sorry… I'm not mad at you, I'm just," I sigh, "I'm a mess, right now."

"It's okay… well, come on, let's go train, we can help each other. Besides, it might get your mind off of things." She gets up and grabs my arm so I can follow her, but I don't move, instead I shift my attention over to Harry. He looks exhausted but working his ass off. He and Hermione are fighting the moving dummies and from the looks of it, he's winning against the stupid thing. I hope he wins. I really do hope he wins. And if it means anything, I'll save his ass just so he does.

"Dray, did you hear me?" I hear Pansy say. I shake my head away from Harry and look up at her. She must have said something while I was spaced out.

"Sorry. What?"

"I asked if you wanted to practice on the obstacle course."

"Uhm…" I turn back over at Harry – if I can just get Granger away from him for five minutes… "You go. I'm gonna work on my throwing."

"Well then come on. We'll go practice!" Now she just sounds excited. I feel bad trying to get rid of her and all, but… Harry needs to know, and he needs to know now. I stand up and try not to look or sound too mean, "I'll catch up with you latter. I just need to ask Harry something."

"Harry?" She crinkles her nose. "You never call him _Harry_!"

"Oh… Potter, then."

"Well, Okay, Draco. Give that Mudblood a smack for me." She gently punches my shoulder and runs off to practice on knocking down a few dummies with throwing knives.

I watch her leave and turn back to Harry and Ganger before taking a breath and walking over.

"Oh. Hi Malfoy." Granger says once she notices me, "Where's your friend?"

"Pansy? Uhm… she just felt like doing something else, I guess…"

Harry comes back from getting his spear out of the dummy's head. He's out of breath and sweating. I swallow the lump in throat and shift uncomfortably at the sight of him. Now, I'm suddenly sweating.

"Hey, Malfoy." He says through breaths, sticking his spear into the mat.

"Potter. I was uh – I mean can you…." My hearts beating fast, so I take a breath before I continue, "Can you help me with my throwing?"

"Sure."

Hermione smiles, "You two have fun." She looks up at Harry, "I'll be over by the weights with Ron, okay?"

"Alright, I'll meet you guys later." Harry says before pulling his spear out of the mat. "What's the problem?"

"Uh, actually, that's not really why I'm here." I say, as soon as Granger is out of earshot.

He tilts his head, "Okay… So why are you here?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you something…" I say softly and look down.

"Out with it, Malfoy, speak up, I can hardly hear you."

"Do you still like Ginny?" Well, this is awkward… I haven't exactly thought about how I would confess my feelings for Harry, and Ginny just came into my jumbled up mind for some reason.

Harry even looks confused and is quiet for a moment, "Uh… Not really… Not anymore…"

"Oh…"

"I like someone else…"

"Really!?" Whoa, that sounded a bit too excited. "I mean… Really?" That's better.

He smirks and laughs a bit in amusement at my awkwardness. "Yes, really. Why are you even concerned? Are you still with Pansy…?" His last question sounds dull. Like the thought of me actually being together with Pansy makes him sick.

"_Still?_ No, Potter, we were never together…"

"Really? Well, I just thought – since you're always with her… Plus you went with her to the Yule Ball, so I figured…"

"No… We're not together… Friends yes, but not a couple."

"Oh, good! I mean not good _good_. It's good that you guys are friends, but what I meant was…" He's talking fast now and even I can't help but smirk shyly at this. He sighs, "What's the real question, Malfoy?"

"Well," I squeak out before clearing my throat. "Well, I actually wanted _tell_ you something."

"Oh, yeah, you started on the elevator."

I nod, "Mhmm. Uh…" I grab my left arm nervously. "Harry…" My stomach is going in circles – I'm so nervous to tell him. What if he rejects me? Or wait what if this makes him want to kill me? No… No, I can't tell him… I know I'll die, but I don't him to be the one who does the job. And it looks like my luck has just run out anyway because a buzzer goes off.

"_Attention Tributes." _A voice says over an intercom. It sounds like Mad Eye, the head Game Keeper.

"_It's three o'clock. Please proceed to your house and prepare to meet for your individual sessions. First will be Gryffindor. Tributes, you will all be directed one by one to your sessions. Hope you've trained hard."_

I feel my heart hammering so hard in my chest, my rib cage might start to raddle. "Draco?" I jump when I hear Harry say my name.

"Well…" I say. "Good luck, Potter…"

His shoulders drop. I can tell he wants to know what I want to tell him by the sad look in his eyes, but I can't…

"Yeah." He sighs dully, "You too, Malfoy…"

So we're back to that now: calling each other by our last names like we're enemies again. It kind of feels like my heart is being ripped to shreds. What am I even saying? We'll always be enemies. We'll never be friends or anything more…

I give him a shy but forced smile and watch him leave for the Center. When the doors shut behind him, and he's out of sight, I groan, feeling the urge to just kick myself for this.

"I'm such an idiot…" I mumble to myself. All that's left in the Training Center now are Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. I'm about to go over and join Pansy at the obstacle course when I feel a hand on my shoulder. There's no mistaking that abnormally large, beefy hand.

I try not to look too nervous and swallow the knot in my throat. But I'm not turning around. I won't. I shiver when I feel him lean down near my ear, and tighten his hold on my shoulder.

"Moment of truth, Malfoy." Goyle says. "Now we all get to see how weak you really are." He hugs me to his side and I gasp out of fear and shock, stiffening my body, wanting to run away from him. My heart is only beating faster.

"I wonder what Mad Eye will turn you into this time? Maybe a cute little spider so I can easily step on you. Or maybe a ferret again, so I can wring your furry little neck."

I push away from him roughly. "Why don't you just kill me while I'm human, you coward!?"

"Hmm. You're right, Malfoy. That would ruin the fun. I wouldn't be able to hear you scream." He sneers with a smirk.

I back away from him when I see that smirk grow, "You're sick, Goyle… You need help…"

"Oh, we don't have time for that now, do we? After all, time is something we don't have." He grips my shoulder again, and gets down so close to my ear, I feel like I'll never stop shuttering. His hot breath on my neck feels like fire burning through my skin. "The Games are getting closer, Malfoy." He whispers, "Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock."

I feel like I can't even blink, but I don't want him to see that I'm scared. He's the coward here, not me.

"You know," He pulls back, but keeps his hand on me, "I wonder what Potter's scream sounds like, don't you? We'll, Draco, how about I give you a little show in the Games and rip his heart out of his chest? I'll just do the job you wouldn't."

My eyes shoot open wide and I shove him back so hard, his broad body actually stumbles. "Don't you _dare_ touch him!"

He looks shocked at first, but only because I had the guts to actually shove him away from me. But soon an evil smirk snakes onto his lips again, like the thought of me wanting to protect Harry gives him horrid ideas about killing him in front of my own eyes. That's just what he wanted – to hit my weak spot. Lashing out at him to not hurt Harry only hinted a weakness that he can use against me. "Hit a soft spot, Malfoy? I knew you had feelings for that boy…"

I ball up my fists, "Goyle – I swear – I'll make sure your death is far worse than mine – than anyone's, if you even go _near_ him!" I'm so mad that my voice deepens to a growl.

His smirk grows bigger. He must be enjoying this, and honestly, I can care less if he knows I love Harry. I _won't_ allow Goyle to hurt him. I'll throw myself in front of his sword before I let that happen. "I'm so glad they let me out of solitude early, because I did not want to miss this!" He looks over at Pansy, who is now walking over with Blaise. "Now I know you have two weaknesses." He smirks evilly before turning to walk away towards the doors. Before the doors shut on him, Goyle holds up and index finger and shifts it from side to side, like the hand on clock. "Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock."

I'm not taking my eyes off of him, "Tick tock…" I say to myself when the doors shut him fright sight, "Count down until your last breath, Goyle…"

"Hey." I hear Blaise say, but I don't turn around or even take my evil glare off of the elevator doors, like Goyle might re-appear and kill me from behind if I turn away. I swear I'll kill him. If he even dares to _look _at Harry, I'll throw my axe square at his thick and ugly head. I'm not protecting Harry because I owe him for saving my life – I'm protecting him because I love him – I want him to win, and if it means taking a life or taking my own… I'll go that far. For him, I'll do anything.

"Draco?" Pansy says. Still, I don't turn around. Instead I head for the door, not even caring if Blaise and Pansy are following me.

Fueled by anger, and roused by hatred, I'm ready for my session. Actually, I'm more than ready. I know exactly what I'm going to do to get my high score. It does take a while for Slytherin to be up next, and I'm the last one to go. I'm sitting by myself, outside of the Game Keeper's gym. I had an idea what I was going to do this whole time, but didn't dare tell anyone. Whatever we do for our sessions are between the Tributes and the Game Keepers. That little chat with Goyle really boosted my confidence. I need to show him I'm something to help Harry win.

I'm sitting in an empty room, that was filled with the rest of the Slytherin's earlier but now I'm the last one. This room is completely empty, and all I'm sitting on is a metal bench that's connected to the metal wall behind me. Pansy is in there right now, so all I got to do is wait. I'm still mad – really mad. I won't let Goyle do this – I'll do anything to make sure he doesn't – anything.

Suddenly the metal door next to me opens and I look up to meet Pansy's worried glance. "Good luck, Draco… Mad Eye's tough."

I nod at her and stand up.

"_Draco Malfoy."_ I hear my name being called over the intercom. I take a deep breath and step through the door. The Game Keepers have a little loft that's leveled up a bit higher so they can observe the session.

Only thing is they don't even seem to know I'm here. They're just sitting around talking and laughing. Maybe, I'm just nervous and made a quiet entrance, so I try to step a bit more loudly, and sigh heavily as I walk over to the weapon rack to pick my weapon. I smirk at the sight of my axe and pick it up, comfortably, in my hands.

Also, did I ever mention that Mad Eye Moody hates my guts? Because he does. Goyle wasn't just kidding around he made that joke about Moody turning me into a ferret. He actually did once – fourth year at Hogwarts – bad memories that I don't feel like reflecting on. I actually shutter at the thought. The only good thing about that little experience was biting Goyle's fat hand with my limited ferret teeth.

Mad Eye and the Game Keepers are still ignoring me, but maybe if I get started they'll notice I'm here. In the corner are a few dummies. I pull one on over into the center of the gym and remember my training with Pansy. _Think ahead of yourself_. The dummy comes to life with magic, flaring its rod like arms in every direction. I stand in place, concentrating on its movements, awaiting the right moment to attack it.

I try to slow the thing down with my eyes before I purposely use my leg to try and side-kick it. It blocks my attack with a hard smack to my thigh, which is what I wanted. At the same time I spin my axe and slice off the dummy's head. The stupid thing's magic runs out and it hits the ground, defeated. I smirk and twirl my axe back up right and turn to the Game Keepers. My face turns to shock – they're _still _not looking at me. It's like they didn't even _see_ anything.

Mad Eye's laughing about some Hufflepuff tributes and one of the Game Keepers with huge, black gauges in his ears actually turns to look lock eyes with mine. I feel a sudden rush of anger when I see him give me a sarcastic look and go back to his conversation.

Now, the fire in me is really burning.

I'm not even thinking about what I'm doing and I just get in a proper stance, hold my axe by the end of the handle, straighten up and throw.

My weapon sticks the wall, right next to Moody's head and everyone gets silent. They all turn to me and Moody looks so shocked that his artificial eye might fall out of his head.

Usually _they_ dismiss _me_, but I'm too pissed to care, so I just solute sarcastically, and leave on my own free will, slamming the door shut behind me.

It's still early when I get back, so I have time to finally shower, and change into something comfortable.

"Hey! How'd it go?" Pansy asks, once I return to the Slytherin section. She's sitting on the couch with Blaise. Crabbe, Marcus and Goyle are talking silently at the kitchen table but they suddenly stop their oh-so-important conversation, and turn to me, like they're ease dropping.

"Let's just say Mad Eye might think twice before using the Transfiguration spell on me again." I say and bound up stairs to my room to shower and change. I'm really not happy about what I did and I'll probably be slaughtered before my interview for it, but I don't care. What was I meant to do? Just walk away like I didn't even show up? No way. Mad Eye is just lucky I wasn't actually aiming for his head; otherwise, there would have been a real mess to clean up – Mad Eyes' guts and mine. Oh, well, these Game Keepers are probably going to give me the lowest score for almost taking Moody's head off, anyway. But that little trick Harry showed me did come in handy. So I secretly thank him for that.

The hot shower feels good though. Almost every muscle in my body aches, and I'm just noticing it now. Training is finally over but I've been too deep into thought to even notice how sore I am.

Next is the horrid truth of our scores. As soon as I get downstairs, Snape grabs me by the cuff of my shirt roughly. "YOU THREW AN AXE AT MOODY'S HEAD!?"

I turn my head to look around the living room. Umbridge looks amused, Pansy and Blaise look shocked and Marcus, Crabbe and Goyle are trying not to laugh. Snape yanks my shirt and I yelp softly, looking back up at him. "WELL? DID YOU?"

"So what is if I did? He deserved it!"

Snape scowls at me and I scowl right back. "Do you realize the trouble you could be in, Malfoy? You could be killed tonight!"

"I'm gonna die anyway! What can they do to me that they haven't already!?"

Snape growls and tosses me out of his grasp. I rub my neck a bit, where he grabbed my shirt and take a seat next to Pansy and Blaise since the scores are about to be announced.

"Good job." Pansy whispers as she gently elbows me. I smile lightly and watch the Hufflepuff scores. All of them got between a 4 and a 6. I sink in my seat, embarrassed for them.

Ravenclaw did pretty well. Luna got an 8 and Cho got a 7.

And Gryffindor…. I sit up straight, eyes glued to the screen, and heart beating rapidly. I'm rooting for Harry, I know he did well – better than well – excellent. Because he got a 10. Ron also got a 10 and Hermione got a 9. I try to hide my excitement because I can see Goyle staring at me on the corner of my eye, so I just smirk to myself. _Good job, Potter._ I think.

Now… Slytherin… Oh God, this will be a horror show. I lean in, nervously, staring at the TV. I feel Pansy shift uncomfortably on the sofa and I swallow the lump in my throat when I see Marcus's name pop up. He got an 8. Crabbe got a 7, Blaise got a 9 and so did Pansy.

My heart's pounding, and finally my name comes up. I'm about to pass out because on that screen I see the number 11. My eyes widen. What? No, this can't be right… Moody hates me – what is this?

I feel Blaise hit my back and cheer for me. Pansy hugs me tight and I can even see a smirk snake onto Snape's lips. Umbridge is clapping and Marcus and Crabbe don't look the least bit happy. Goyle looks ready to strangle me. Speaking of that pig, his score is next.

My heart is ready to stop and I almost forget to breathe. He got an 11. We're tied. I turn my head to him and he's smirking evilly at me. This… is bad…

I mind as well just give up now, because with these scores, it'll end up coming down to Goyle and me, and I'll surely be killed in the most brutal way by him.

Marcus and Crabbe are congratulating him while Blaise, Pansy and I say absolutely nothing.

AN: I'm sorry for not updating guys! I had this chapter done, it was just a matter of going back to edit it. I'm still not sure if there are some errors, if there are they're probably minor ones.

Anyway, the next chapter will be up very soon! It's the last one before the Games, so it's pretty lengthy. It's done; I just need to edit it. But for now, I'll post 8. I know it's not much, but it's something. I hope you guys like it so far.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – Interviews

I don't believe this. How does Goyle get an 11? He was in solitude for two days. Actually, no, how do _I _get an 11? I'm nothing special, really, I'm not. I'm not smart, funny, strong, cunning or heroic… but, okay, give me an 11. I guess Moody liked the fact that I almost took off his head… maybe I should do that more often.

And better yet, Goyle is tied with me. This will really make him want to turn me inside out, now. I hold my stomach at the thought of it.

I was never the type to work well under stress, and right now I'm under so much pressure, I feel like the walls are closing in on me and I can't breathe.

"Draco?" Pansy says.

I ignore her.

Suddenly Umbridge claps her hands together with giggle, brining my head back up. Goyle's glaring at me again, and so are Marcus and Crabbe. I can't hide my fear from him anymore, and I know I must look terrified, because he starts whispering something to his little Nazis. When he's done, all three look at me inquisitively, like they have something planned. I swallow, and feel my body tremble. What could they possibly be talking about? Maybe they're trying to decide how they can kill me in the arena. I wouldn't be surprised if that's actually what they're talking about, to be completely honest.

"Alright, Slytherin, off to bed. You all got a big day tomorrow! Your interviews are probably the most important part – so you all need to be well rested." Umbridge says cheerfully, adding a squeaky sounding chuckle at the end of her sentence.

We all get up, but I see Goyle go into the kitchen for something instead of going upstairs. He looks a bit hesitant and suspicious, like he's up to something. I can tell, because he keeps eyeing us, maybe hopping we don't catch onto whatever he has planned.

"Goyle, what are you doing?" Snape asks with a suspicious hiss to his dry voice.

"Just hungry…" Goyle replies blankly, trying not to meet his gaze, as he opens a drawer near the counter.

I try to walk fast up to my room but Snape gets ahead of me, cutting me off and making me walk up with Marcus and Crabbe. I try to get ahead of them but Marcus grabs me by the back of my collar. Snape is out of sight now, and he doesn't even seem to be aware of what just happened.

"Not so fast, blondie." Marcus says through his hideous teeth and pulls me off of the steps, dragging me into the kitchen.

I try to wiggle away from him, but Crabbe takes me from Marcus and grabs hold of my arms, wrapping them behind my back tightly. I whine in pain and slightly arch my back so keep my arms a bit loose. In the kitchen I can see Goyle pulling out a long, sharpened knife from the drawer he was just nosing around in. My eyes widen, and I open my mouth to call Snape for help, "Sna-" My words form into a muffle when Crabbe uses a free hand to cover my mouth, using his other to tightly keep my arms in place behind my back.

I whimper, terrified when I see Goyle walking over to me, brandishing the knife in his right hand. I turn my head away from him, eyes shut, but he pulls me by the hair to look up at him.

"Don't turn away from me."

I look at him desperately, trying to beg him with my eyes not to do this. He just smirks evilly. The same way he always does…

I try to strain my head away when he holds the cold blade up to my throat. "How should I kill you?" He says, and slowly slides the tip of the blade down to my chest, almost ripping my shirt in the process, before trailing it down the center of my stomach. "Cut you open?"

Marcus looks like he's watching over this fight – or torment like a guard dog. He's standing right at Goyle's side, looking at me with watchful eyes as if I might try to perform some miraculous escape. He makes a weird noise, like a snort – I guess he's trying not to laugh. I look away again, shutting my eyes tight, feeling hot tears burning form. I don't want to die, not like this – not yet.

"No, no." Goyle says, pulling my head up roughly. "Eyes, on me, pretty boy." Suddenly his expression changes to shock, but slowly turns into a laugh. I guess the shine in my eyes are telling him I'm about to cry.

"Oh, he's so cute!" Marcus says sarcastically with a laugh as he moves over close to me. My first instinct is to flinch away from him when he reaches a hand to my head, petting my hair roughly, like I'm just a stray dog he wants to kick around, "It's like killing a helpless kitten."

I strain my head away from his hand with a grunt, still unable to speak through Crabbe's fat hand.

"Oh!" Marcus says, "He's _fresh_ too."

"Come on, just kill him already." Crabbe says impatiently.

"Oh, I will. I just want to see him suffer first." He leans in close to my face and I jump. "Where's your little boyfriend now, Draco?"

I just look at him helplessly.

"He's not here to save you now. No one is. And after I'm done with you… I think I'll pay Harry a little visit." He's examining the knife now, looking at it in away where he can probably imagine it piercing through Harry's chest. My heart sinks to my stomach as my gray eyes widen in fear. He brings the blade up near my collarbone and slowly runs the tip of the knife into my skin, like he's about to preform surgery on me. I muffle in pain, trying to scream through Crabbe's hand. He digs the blade in harder and slower, half-laughing. I'm grinding my teeth, and I swear, I can hear them chattering. Stiffening my body, Crabbe pulls my head back and I shut my eyes, just waiting for this to end. Maybe it would be better this way – I'd rather die now then on live TV in the Games. Although, there are probably cameras here… Goyle doesn't seem to care either way.

But I can't take this. Why doesn't he just slit my throat and be done with it? It hurts, and I can feel hot blood running down my chest, soaking my shirt is red.

Suddenly I hear Goyle gasp and he stops. I open my eyes just when I hear, "Goyle! Get away from him!" It's Snape.

Crabbe gets distracted too, loosening his strong hold on me. I open my mouth and bite his hand, using every bit of strength I have to dig my teeth into his skin until I taste his blood in my mouth. He lets me go with a yell of pain, gripping his fat hand in agony.

I spit the remaining blood out of my mouth like it's poison, and run over to Snape near the stairs. I know this is _Snape_, but I need at least some sort of protection. But It's like he really is trying to keep me safe since he pushes me behind his back, using himself as a shield.

Goyle tries to hide the knife behind his back but Snape saw everything. "What did I tell you?" His voice is soft but there's no mistaking how angry he is.

"Severus! What's happened?" I hear Umbridge say. I turn around and see her bounding down the stairs, trying to be proper about it, but she seems all too nervous about the situation to be elegant, and in the process, she almost trips over her high, fluffy pink heals.

"Dolores, take these three into solitary. I've just caught them 'jumping the gun' on Malfoy." Snape says, not taking his eyes of Goyle. And Goyle doesn't take his eyes off him. They're both sharing looks of pure evil.

Blood is running down my right arm and down my chest until I feel it reach my stomach. I grunt in pain as I grip onto the wound on my collarbone, trying to keep the blood from oozing out of me.

Umbridge nods as she aggressively walks on over to Goyle, yanking the knife from his hand and placing it on the counter. Finally, she leads them away. I watch them go. Even now, Goyle turns to give me his evil glance until he's out of view.

Snape turns to me, "Follow me." He says, walking back up the stairs, his long cloak brushing soundlessly behind him as he walks. I weakly follow him, feeling the blood dripping off my fingers. I'm limping, and I'm probably leaving a trail of blood on the floor, but I don't care. I'm starting to feel dizzy, and I have no idea where Snape is taking me.

This cut must be a mile long and a mile deep, because it hurts like hell, and it _won't stop bleeding._

Snap finally stops at the end of the hall and opens a large door, leading into, what must be his room. It's very plain in here, especially for Snape. But then again, it seems like everything in the Capitol is very roomy and neat. It's very much like the Tribute's rooms only slightly bigger. There's a bed in here with black sheets and a dresser. There's also desk sitting across from the bed, right near the door as we walk in. A crystal chandelier hangs over head, right in the center of the ceiling. The crystals that hang from it shimmer in the slight darkness, lighting up the room in sparks. It almost looks like the ceiling is made of a night sky, dotted with stars.

I turn my head, breathing heavily as I begin to feel weaker, and see him go over to the large, square desk. He pulls a chair out from the front of it and tells me to sit down and that he'll be back in a few seconds. And I do. He leaves me and goes into a back room on the other side of the desk. It sounds like he's rummaging through vials and glass bottles. I'm guessing that's where he keeps his private stock of potions. Even in the Games, you never know what could happen. Like right now for instance.

I'm so tired all of a sudden. I lean to my right; feeling like this wound is weighing me down, when really I'm just losing blood. I try fighting the feeling of just passing out. What if Snape didn't show up in time? I would have been done for. God only knows what Goyle had planned for me aside from the stabbing. I'm so afraid of him and that fact along makes me feel sick. I've been friends with Goyle since first year at school and now he's my mortal enemy. Sometimes the people who are closest to you are the ones who end up stabbing you in the back.

My head tilts to the right, like I'm about to fall asleep. I pant heavily, but quietly, feeling more drained and sicker by the second.

Finally I can hear footsteps behind me, but I'm too tired to turn around. Snape shows up in front of me and leans down. I don't look up at him – I can hardly lift my head since it feels like a hundred pounds.

"Malfoy." He says, tilting my head up gently.

I look at him, half dead, and notice his wand in his right hand. Gently, he moves my now bloody hand off my cut and presses the tip of his wand at my wound. I jerk away from him, startled. Whenever someone makes contact with me I can't help but jolt. I've been hit, cut, and abused too many times this week to not make it part of my nature.

"It's okay, Malfoy." Snape says, I guess seeing how defensive I get, "I'll help you."

I cock my head back down with a weak sigh, "Sure you will…" I rasp.

Snape doesn't answer.

"_Vulnera Sanentur." _He mutters as he grazes his wand over my cut, hardly touching it. That's the same spell he used to heal me when Harry hit me with the Sectumsempra spell in the bathroom sixth year. I can't help but half smile at that memory when Potter found out I tried to curse Katie Bell and confront me in the bathroom. Not that it's the best memory I have, it's just one of many that Harry is in. That alone makes me feel a bit better.

Just like that time, the spell starts to soak up my blood and my wound slowly starts to close. It feels better, but I still feel light headed from what I just experienced.

"Thanks…" I say softly when Snape pulls back his wand.

"When will you learn, Malfoy?" Snape says.

"It wasn't my fault… he pulled that knife out on me…." I say weakly. Snape doesn't answer and he gets up to his feet. I look up at him, "Why is he doing this to me? I never did anything to him and now he just wants to see me die. Why? What happened to him?" To me, I sound like a helpless little boy. I just never felt this lost in the darkness. There's only so much one person can handle and I can't handle much more.

Snape's quiet for a moment but finally answers me, "Voldemort wasn't the only one who killed for power. Goyle sees you as a threat. Stay. Away. From him."

"How? I can't get away from him…" I'm panicking now. "Snape, he'll find me in the Games. He's determined to kill me, especially now that we both got the same score. I can't get away from him. I can run – but not forever!" He looks at me with his usual cold, emotionless stare. His face makes me look away, buring my face in my hands, trembling, "Snape, I'm afraid of him. I don't care if I die, but he'll… he'll do whatever he can in his power to make sure I'm dead."

"You don't care if you die?" He almost sounds surprised.

I bolt my head up to him, tears running down face. This seems to shock him a bit because he jerks back slightly, "No! I don't! You know why? Because I have virtually _no_ chance what so ever in winning – none! Snape, I'm not a good fighter, and I'm far from a killer. I'm a coward. You saw me that night… I couldn't kill him…"

He blinks, "And you thought I could?"

I look away from him. Just thinking about Dumbledore's death makes me dizzy. "I guess what I'm saying is that… I don't want to win..."

He's silent for a moment, "Then who do you want to win…?" He says, finally.

I get up slowly and head for the door, "Harry." I say flatly and leave Snape's room. I get no reply for him and I don't stop walking to hear what he has to say. It's late. I'm tired. I'm crabby… I'm going to bed before I hurt myself any further.

I wake up to Umbridge knocking on my door again. "Get up, Draco! It's a big day!" I groan and pull my covers over my face.

So, today are our interviews. Basically we spend some time with our stylists so they can prep us for the cameras. That means people telling me what to wear, and to put on a fake attitude I don't want to put on. It also doesn't make it any better that Lockheart is the interviewer because he goes way into depth with questions. He also doesn't like me either since I pulled a snake on Harry our second year on dueling night. I pretty much cheated to win. Told you I'll do what I can to get my way – but I was twelve – still not much has changed. This is different though… to win, I don't actually want to _kill_ to get my way…

Sighing, I force myself out of bed. I take a quick shower and head downstairs. I don't even care about what I look like so I just throw on a pair of jeans and a plain baggy, dark green shirt. It's all I could find in my dresser and I'm not in the mood to dig around for something decent. My hair is still wet, but it doesn't matter; Juniper will fix me up later. I look like a slob, but why not try a new look? I'm pretty comfortable like this, anyway.

"Hey, Dray!" Pansy says from the kitchen table, a bit too excited. The Games are tomorrow, isn't she nervous?

"Isn't it nice to eat without Goyle and his little disciples here?" She says.

I sit in-between her and Blaise and fix up my breakfast. I suddenly feel a sharp pain in my collarbone, forgetting the cut from yesterday and quickly pull my arm back from the food in the center of the table. "Whoa, you alright?" Blaise says, leaning in to make sure. I pull my shirt up my shoulder a bit, since this thing is way too big for me. I try to hide the cut near my neck with the fabric.

I nod, "I'm okay… just… stiff."

Snape is staring at me, with this "don't you dare tell them anything" face. I try not to pay attention to him and awkwardly use my left arm to get the food from the center of the table. Which is just toast and chocolate chip pancakes. I'm actually kind of hungry considering I haven't actually been eating and just been picking around.

"Excited for our interview, Draco?" Pansy asks as she munches on a piece of beacon.

I shrug my good shoulder, "More or less... it's not like I can get out of it."

"Oh, my!" Umbridge says from behind me as she touches my still wet hair, "Juniper will have a lot of work to do!"

I pull back, "What's that supposed to mean?" I say irritated.

"I mean you didn't even attempt to help her out. You're a mess, Malfoy."

I eye her pink, fluffy outfit and smirk, "At least I don't look like a cream puff." I say, and go back to my toast.

Even Snape snorts a bit. Umbridge must be giving him a look of death from behind me because Snape is trying to hide his smirk from behind his fork and avoid eye contact. Even I let out a little laugh, despite what we're all forced to go through today and tomorrow.

When we're all done, we're forced to separate to meet our stylists. On my way out, Snape grabs my arm gently and I turn to face him, "Yeah?" I ask, a bit confused.

Snape waits for Pansy and Blaise to be out of earshot before he starts talking in a whisper, "Now, during your interview don't mention a single thing about Goyle."

I blink. "What if Lockheart asks me something about him? I mean rumors of his solitude have gotten around like wild fire. He's probably gonna ask me why?"

"Don't say anything that can get you in trouble with him. If Lockheart asks you anything you say it was all in good fun."

I nod and think for a moment, "Okay… But what about what happened last night." I point to my collarbone, where there's a faded scar from where I was stabbed. "This still isn't healed yet…"

"Don't worry about that. Juniper will make sure it's not even visible."

I nod and he lets me go.

Suddenly I remember something that he should probably be aware of, "Snape…" I say before walking away. He turns back to me, looking at me questionably.

"Back on the train when you told me to just look for water…"

He's still looking at me, waiting for me to finish, "After that, Goyle confronted me upstairs and beat me until I told him what you said…"

"What did you say?" I can't help but hear the concern in his voice.

"I told him the main priority is the weapons. I mean, I know that's probably not the smartest thing I could have said, but I'm hoping it'll distract him long enough so I can get away. I just thought you should know."

Am I hallucinating or is Snape smiling? "Good job, Draco." He says.

I give him a faint smile back before turning to the corridor to meet Juniper down the hall. I'm actually looking forward to seeing her and Sasha again, because unlike many people, I like them.

I walk down the black walled, Slytherin hallway until I come to the door I was dragged to by Umbridge on my first day here. I'm about to let myself in when I hear someone call my name. "Draco." I jolt and spin around to the direction the voice came from. I feel my heart rate slow down when I see Juniper only a few feet from me.

She half-laughs, "Sorry if I scared you."

"It's okay." I say nervously and smile when I see Sasha slithering up to me. I kneel down to greet her and she gently licks my hand with her forked tongue.

"I won't lie, I missed you guys." I say.

Juniper smiles and I stand up to face her. "It feels like it's been forever huh? Come on, you can tell me about your score on our way to the prep room."

I follow her further down the hall and she leads me to a completely different section of this building. It's a pretty night place. The walls are cemented and there's a long sofa in the living room, a huge black table in the kitchen – _this_ looks like the Slytherin common room back at Hogwarts. I feel a bit calmer as I look around. It's like being back at home.

"Like it?" Juniper says. "We figured if we mirror the common room; it'll keep you guys more comfortable."

"Well, it's working. I like it."

She smiles, "Good! Okay, now let me look at you for a minute." She carefully eyes me up and down and gently runs her fingers through my now semi-dry hair. "I'm thinking we can go with the same bad boy look, like back at the parade. Everyone seemed to like it."

It's not like I can say no so I just nod.

"Okay…" She says thoughtfully as she tugs on my shirt, raising a black eyebrow. "Did just roll out of bed and stick your head in a sink?"

I bit my lip nervously, "Not exactly."

She smiles and messes up my hair even more, spraying drops of water in the air. "It's okay. We'll work on it… wait…" Her face goes serious and her eyes trail down to my collarbone. I start to move my hand to cover it, but she stops me by gently pushing my hand out of the way. "Draco… what did you do?"

Her fingers graze the cut and I pull back in pain. It still hurts. "Just uh… fell. Yeah, I fell in training yesterday…"

I'm not sure if I should tell her what happened with Goyle – what's _been_ happening with Goyle. I don't know what she'll do if I tell her. No, I can't… Snape told me not to and I really can't afford any more trouble.

"You fell." She says thoughtfully, "That's it?"

I swallow the knot in my throat and nod, "Mhmm."

She looks uneasy, but I try to hold eye contact so she doesn't suspect that I'm lying. I want to tell her so bad, but what if Goyle finds out I did? I'm already a dead man walking; I don't need to make this worse for myself.

Finally she backs off, "Well, okay. Now, get up those stairs and into the second room on the right. Change into the clothes that are on the bed and I'll be up shortly."

I nod to her and do what she tells me.

This room is pretty strange. It's full of designer stuff. Different outfits are hug on the door and walls, and there's also an abnormally large bed under a window that overlooks the Capitol, and a body size mirror beside the window.

On the stone wall are some pictures of the Tributes from last year, and they're _moving_. I'm starting to get more of the feel of Hogwarts, but just the fact that I'm here for the Games only gives me short relief.

Alright, now what am I wearing today? I go over to the bed and sure enough my clothes for my interview are neatly folded up.

I blink in shock at this and feel my blood go cold. This is really something I wasn't expecting.

Apparently I'm wearing a black-red suit with flames trailing up the base of the jacket and sleeves. The pants match with flames flaring up the cuffs. "Whoa…" I say to myself, turning the jacket over and my eyes widen. In big red letters is the word _DRAGON_; the Latin meaning behind my name. The words are easy to read and not engulfed around flames, but they are set inside of a dragon's mouth that's sewn into the back of the suit.

I'm in too much awe right now that I can't put this on. I thought I would end up wearing something like I did at the Parade to represent Slytherin, but this… no one will have anything like this. At least I know Goyle's jaw would be dropping.

A shy smile snakes onto my lips, "Thanks, Juniper." I whisper. Finally, I move into the bathroom to change.

I'm back in the bedroom, staring at myself in the wall mirror. I don't know who this reflection belongs to, but it's not me. I slightly turn so I can look at the design and wording on my back.

"Like it?" I hear a voice say from the door way.

I turn around to see Juniper, with Sasha around her neck. "Love it." I say. "But… Aren't I supposed to represent Slytherin?"

She walks over and looks at me in the mirror, "You're more than just a Slytherin; I wanted to do something special."

I hear Sasha hiss softly and she slithers off of Juniper to coil herself around my shoulders.

"I want them to remember you, Draco. Besides, no one else will have a snake around their neck."

I smile and turn to look at Sasha before gently rubbing her head, "No, they won't. What made you think of this?" I say, tugging on the ends of my suit.

"Your name is rather unique. Just like you."

I half-laugh, "I'm not unique… Not according to anyone else…"

"You are to me. And to your fans as well."

I turn away from the mirror and look up at her, "Thank you. Really."

She ruffles my hair, "You're a good kid, Draco. You deserve it. Now! I don't think we'll do too much with your face and hair since there really isn't anything I can do…"

I turn red, and see her smile at my embarrassment. "Your hair seems dry now." She says before going over to a nearby bureau for some hair products, "Like I said, we're going for the bad boy look."

"I'm fine with that." I say.

"Good!" She ruffles my hair up to make it really messy before she picks up a hair spray can. I shut my eyes as she sprays the can around my head to keep the mess of my hair in place. The smell almost makes me sneeze.

"So about the score?" She asks as she puts the hair spray can down on the bureau and switches over to another product that I'm unfamiliar with, but when she squeezes it into her hand it looks like moose. It also smells like strawberries.

"Threw an axe at Moody's head, nothing major."

She laughs, "At least you're calm about it." She says as she gently runs to product through my hair like silk. "Well, he must have liked almost getting his head decapitated because you were so close to a twelve. Draco, that's amazing!"

"I was just mad…"

"Well then that Goyle boy better stay away from you."

I get stiff at his name and don't answer.

When she's finally done with my hair she gently touches it up before standing back to look me over, "You look awesome." She says and points to the mirror, "Take a look."

I swallow nervously and turn my head, speechless. Even Sasha lifts up her tiny green head in amazement. "Wow…" I say. My hair has a few light red streaks of red in it, which goes perfect with the whiteness of my blond hair. Whatever Juniper used must have been a sort of limited dye. Who is this boy? That's not me, that can't be me.

"The red comes out of course – very easily, actually. One wash should get you back to a full head of blond. Oh, one more touch – I just thought of something."

She moves over to my neck and Sasha, gently shifts out of her way as Juniper spikes up my collar. "There! Well?"

I have no words. I don't look like Draco Malfoy anymore, and honestly, I don't know who I'm looking at. I like the red, but I'm not use to it and I miss my blond. It almost looks like I have _fire_ for hair.

"Draco?" Juniper says.

I blink at the mirror and gently touch the reflection of my face as if the glass might shatter. "Is that really me?"

I see her smile from behind me, "That's you, alright. Oh, just one more thing." I see her reach into her pocket and pull out a ring. Not just any ring though, it's in the shape of a snake. I turn around to face her so I can get a better look. She gently takes my right hand and slides it onto my middle finger.

The ring is silver, with green gems for eyes and it almost looks as if I have a real snake wrapping its body around my finger.

I know she can tell I like it even though I don't say anything. The red on her face and her shy smile tells me everything. "Are you ready?"

I nod to her, "I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Now I'm starting to get nervous, especially when I glance at the clock on the wall that reads a quarter to one. Our interviews are at one thirty. I start to feel myself shake and Sasha shifts closer to me.

"You'll be okay, Draco." Juniper says, taking my shoulders in her hands. "I'll be right in the front row."

"I… I'm a bad public speaker. Crowds terrify me… I can't-"

"Yes you can, stop being negative about yourself. Draco, you're far more special then you give yourself credit for." Now she sounds like Pansy. I feel my face get hot and I can tell I'm probably as red as the streaks in my hair at the thought of her.

I'm too nervous to answer Juniper and just look away. "Draco, look at me." She says.

I swallow nervously, and shakily look up at her. "When you're up there, just pretend you're talking to me – look at me – not at anyone else. I'll be right there…"

I swallow and nod my head, "Okay…" I breathe.

She smiles and kisses my forehead, "You can do this. I'm rooting for you."

I smile shyly and soon follow her out of the room and back downstairs. The closer we get to our interviews, the more nervous I become. I guess Sasha can feel me shaking since she wraps her coils around me gently, and when I look at her she almost seems concerned.

I'm not even paying any attention as to where I'm going. I'm just following Juniper down a long hallway and pass a few House sections. Although, I can tell we're getting close to the stage because I can hear distance cheering.

Deep breath. Relax… it'll be okay…

The cheering of the crowd is only getting louder and my heart's beating faster. I hate crowds. Never did well in them. Especially now since I have to be sure I make people like me, which means I'll have to be fake and _not_ be in a bad mood. But right now I'm more scared then any emotion put together.

Suddenly Juniper changes course and goes down a very narrow hallway where the sound of the crowd sounds like it's under water. We must be going back stage.

I make a slight whimpering noise and Sasha curls around me more. I put a hand on her, "Stay with me, okay?"

She nuzzles her head against my jawline as if saying she won't leave me.

"Draco! There you are." Umbridge says and grabs my arm roughly to pull me towards her. Well, we made it back stage, and there's already a Hufflepuff doing her interview.

Umbridge looks me over in awe, "Wait… _Is_ this _my_ Draco Malfoy!?"

I shiver with nervousness and don't respond.

She pinches my cheek and I suddenly feel the urge to bite her hand. I don't like people touching my face, "Oh, dearie, you'll be fine!" I guess she can tell I'm scared as all Hell right now. I can't help but smirk when I hear Sasha making hissing sounds that makes Umbridge pull away.

She clears her throat, trying not to look at the snake. "Right! Now, Draco, come with me, sweetie." She starts pulling me away and I look over my shoulder for Juniper.

"I'll be right there, with you." She whispers before going back down the hallway so she can, I guess, take her seat in the audience.

Even though Sasha is good comfort, I don't feel as safe without Juniper with me, and having Umbridge and Snape around don't help at all.

Everyone is looking at me, and it's freaking me out. Probably because I'm covered in flames and there's a big dragon mouth on my back. Not to mention that everyone is wearing something to represent their houses – I'm the only one that doesn't exactly "fit in". Harry, especially, is looking me over.

"Who's_ this_?" Goyle says, as I walk over to the Slytherins.

"Well… Pretty boy just got prettier." Marcus sneers, and leans in to sniff my neck. He's crinkling his nose when he pulls back. "You smell like strawberries…"

"And you smell like a sewer." I say and pull away roughly. He snarls at me, but I just ignore it, even though his hideous teeth are hard to ignore.

"I didn't even recognize you, blondie." Goyle says, shoving Marcus aside to confront me, "What happened to your bad boy look? Or is this just fake?"

Sasha hisses loudly and I look away, self-consciously. Goyle and Marcus laugh.

"Come on, Goyle, just back off." I hear a voice say. I look up to see Harry walking beside me.

"Oh, look who it is, boys." Goyle says, turning his head to Marcus and Crabbe – who is now at his side. He brings his eyes back on Harry. "Come to put me back in solitude, Potter?"

"If you keep this up, they'll have to put _me_ in solitude."

Oh, God Harry, stop this… Just stop saving my ass, I don't deserve it.

Marcus and Crabbe exchange looks and Goyle stalks up in front of Harry's face. Potter doesn't move an inch and just stares at him boldly. "You wanna go right now, tough guy? I can snap your skinny self like a twig."

Harry smirks, "I'm not afraid of you, Goyle… Why don't you just admit you're scared and leave Draco alone?"

"Oh, Potter, I got plans. You see, you're number two on my hit list and your hot shot boyfriend is number one. After I force you to watch him die, I'm sending you straight to hell."

Suddenly, Luna's name is called for her interview. I didn't even realize the Ravenclaws have started already.

Harry drops his shoulders, "Watch your back in the Games, Goyle." He turns to walk away but stops by my side, "You look amazing, Dragon." He whispers in my ear before walking back to the Gryffindors. I turn red, brushing my silky blond-red hair out of my eyes nervously.

Sasha hisses something at Harry's back as he's walking away. He says something back to her in Parseltongue – snake language – that I don't understand, but judging my Sasha and Harry's smirk, it was something amusing. Harry picks his eyes back up at me and his smirk grows into a sweet and reassuring smile. I smile back and watch him leave. It feels like my heart is beating a mile a minute when he looks at me.

Finally Lockheart is almost through the Gryffindors, and Harry is his last one.

"Harry Potter!" Lockheart says. The crowd goes crazy at his name that I feel like I might go deaf. I look over at Harry and he inhales deeply and walks boldly to the stage.

I smile as I watch him. He waves to the crowd and Lockheart tells him to sit down once he shakes his hand. I don't know why, but I'm nervous for him – or nervous for what he'll say.

"So!" Lockheart begins, "Harry Potter… I still can't get over the fact that you got picked." Harry smiles shyly as Lockheart continues, "So, what did you think about it? Were you surprised?"

Harry half-laughs, "To be honest, after everything that's happened nothing can surprise me at this point." He says with a hint of humor. The crowd sort of laughs at this, understanding Harry's past.

"Now, Harry, you're the boy who lived…" Lockheart says. Harry looks at him, listening. "But will you be the boy to win the Games?"

"Uhh." Harry says smiling, "I could try… as long as long as Voldemort doesn't show up and ruin the fun." Lockheart laughs a bit and so does the audience. I don't know if Harry is trying to be funny of if he's just nervous. Everyone seems to love him though.

"Well, a smart, talented boy like yourself, I don't see any problems!" Lockheart says, "But, it's come very clear over the years that you have virtually no family alive. Do you have a special someone?"

Harry pauses for a moment and looks down, "Well… let's just say…" He looks up. "That a mortal enemy can become the one you love the most." Everyone goes silent but I can hear a few mummers of surprise. What's this supposed to mean? _I_ was his mortal enemy… At least the only one that's alive. Is he talking about me? Did Harry just admit that he loves me? My heart sinks in shock.

"Well, then, Mister Potter." Lockheart stands up and Harry follows. "It's been a pleasure." He shakes Harry's hand and raises it up for the audience, "Harry Potter, everyone!" The audience bursts into loud cheering, some jumping from their seats. Harry bows and exits the stage.

My mouth is half open, shocked. I watch Harry come backstage and he's looking at me like he committed a crime. I want to talk him; actually I want to hit him. If he was talking about me – which I'm pretty sure he was – why didn't he tell me this is how he feels? Wasn't it obvious that I love him back? I mean, Goyle is as dumb as brick, but he caught onto it. Harry could have too.

"Pansy Parkinson!" Lockheart calls from the stage. Last but not least, it's time for Slytherin. I see Pansy walk over nervously, and a bit snobby looking. I tilt my head. Something about her domineer is making me anxious.

The crowd cheers for her, but not nearly as loud as they did for Harry. It's almost a choppy kind of applause.

"Welcome, Mrs. Parkinson!" Lockheart greets.

"Hi." Pansy says sarcastically. I blink and share a look with Sasha. What's with the attitude?

Lockheart looks a bit taken aback, "So… Pansy…You've had a long friendship with Draco Malfoy, I assume?" He says this cautiously, like Pansy might turn into something vicious.

"Uh yeah, we've only been friends since, like, first year at Hogwarts _and_ he took me to Yule Ball!"

"….Right. Do you think your friendship will get in the way of you winning the Games?"

"No way, Lockheart! Draco and I have been best friends for quite a long time. If the Games do come down to just us… well… we both mind as well kill ourselves, because I'm not winning without him." She says matter-of-factly. My eyes widen and I almost forget to breathe. She knows that's against the rules, right?

I feel all eyes on me but I try not to look around and sink near the curtain. God, I'm so embarrassed. Why is she doing this? We can't _kill ourselves_, or even attempt to; we'll be in a lot of trouble. Not necessarily killed, but it's still breaking the rules. Actually, I think we _could_ be killed by the Capitol if we attempt it.

"…..You do realize you can't do that?" Lockheart says.

"….So? I just don't want to lose him." She breaks eye contact from him. Everyone back stage is either looking at me or at Pansy. Their faces range from shock and sympathy. Only Harry has a hint of anger in his burning green eyes, but he's looking at Pansy – not me. I feel my face turn red and try not to look at him.

"So… You love him? What if you change? What if _he_ changes?" Lockheart asks.

She shakes her head. I don't know if it's the way the light is hitting her face but it looks like she's teary. "I can't change… I need to make sure I'm true to myself. Kind of like the people you love… They end up not loving you back anymore." Her voice is breaking.

The audience is so quiet – everything is quiet. I feel like everyone can hear the sound of my heart thumping violently in my chest. Why do I feel guilty? I shouldn't… I never actually told Pansy I didn't love her and I never told Harry that I love him. Now a spark is going off. Maybe the real reason why I didn't tell either one of them is because I can't choose. I'm torn between the both of them and that truth alone is holding me back.

Harry's looking at me now. I can feel his green eyes on me even though I'm not looking directly at him. I'm kind of afraid to make eye contact. Is he mad? Hurt? I don't know. I'm so confused and I can't read him.

Finally Pansy picks her head up, looking rather angry all of a sudden, "And to the lucky _whore _ my guy loves now…" She holds up her middle finger to the camera, "Fuck you!"

Okay, now, I've never seen Harry this pissed off before in my life, but his face is so red I think I see steam coming out of his ears and his fists are balled up so tight at his sides that his knuckles are even whiter than I am.

Lockheart clears his throat and tries to get everyone's attention. "Well, thank you, Pansy." He stands up and shakes her hand.

"Been a pleasure, Lockheart." She blows a kiss to the audience and walks back stage with a proud smirk on her face, like what just happened was a good thing.

"What the hell was that!?" I growl, trying to confront her before Harry explodes.

"What was what?"

"That bitchy, snobby act you just pulled out there! Are you trying to get both of us killed!?" I can see Harry and the other Gryffindors staring from the across the stage. Goyle and Marcus are laughing silently to themselves, without Crabbe, since he's now doing his interview. I'm too pissed to pay any attention to what any of them are saying, though.

"Draco-"

"I don't care how jealous you are! If you wanna get killed, don't drag me down with you!"

Her eyes widened, "Jealous!?"

"Yes! Jealous!"

She jolts back at how harsh my tone is, but I don't care. She just ripped my last nerve.

"I'm done." I say and try to walk away, but she grabs my arm.

"Draco…"

I yank my arm away and turn to face her, "What in your God damned mind made you think that saying that shit was okay!?"

"I didn't-"

"Right! You didn't think! You never did and you never will… All you care about if yourself, Pansy… I'm done with you."

"Dray, I-"

"Just say away from me."

I turn away from her and walk away. Whatever, I'll just come back when my name is called, but right now, I want _nothing_ to do with her. But ignoring Harry's eyes is another thing. He watches me walk away and even when I'm out of his sight, I know he's still looking at the spot where I just disappeared even when I'm gone.

**End Part I**

* * *

AN: WOOO! The first part is done! Now shit shall go down from here. I really do like this chapter though, even if it's long. I must say, Pansy pissed me off a lot in this one. She called Harry a whore, that's not okay nor is it true... at least I don't think it is. Ha! Anyway, hope you like this. Chapter 10 will be up soon!


	10. Chapter 10

_**Part II **_

_**The Games**_

Chapter 10 – Dragon

I don't even know where my legs are taking me, but as long as I'm far away from everyone else I could care less.

Sasha tugs her coils around my neck to make me walk back to the stage and I gag slightly. "No, Sash. I need to calm down first."

Apparently I'm even further backstage, out of view from the others, because I can't see anyone when I look over my shoulder to see if I'm being followed. I walk forward, until I'm faced with a black curtain. Gently, I push it aside to see a storage room with various props scattered around. Sasha and I exchange looks and she shakes her head. Of course, I ignore her and walk inside, curious to look around.

This room is filled with junk. Not just any junk, some of this stuff is from Hogwarts. Most of it probably got dumped in the prop room after the war. Never know when it could be of some use, I guess.

In the corner are a bunch of picture frames turned face over. I go over to take a look and find out that the frames are empty. There's no doubt these are from Hogwarts though, because there's a large blank frame with Dumbledore's name printed on the bottom.

"Well, well, this brings back memories." I hear a familiar voice say. I gasp and jump, startled, almost knocking the picture frames over. Harry is standing in front of the curtain, smirking and laughing softly in amusement. I feel my face flush up and try to fix the frames I almost knocked down. "Harry. Hey!" I say awkwardly, "What are you doing here?"

Harry's smirk grows and he makes his way over to me. I swallow the lump in my throat, but I don't back up.

Suddenly, his face goes straight with seriousness, "Why's your face red?" He says with concern as he gently touches the side of my flaming red face.

"Uhm… well, I-" He rubs my face with this thumb, gently and I laugh softly. My God his hand is soft.

"It looks like my House colors – red and gold." Harry says as he moves his hand to caress my hair, "….Is that strawberries I smell?"

"Maybe… Why?"

"I like it. So, about your girlfriend-"

"She is _not _my girlfriend."

Harry looks taken aback, "Okay… about Pansy then. Did she really call me a whore?" A smirk forms on his face again.

I blink, "I'm sorry, Harry. Really, I didn't think she would-"

"Who ever said I was mad at you?" He says with a bit of a laugh.

I blink and stare at him, "Wait. You're not mad?"

"Not at _you_. As for your friend, I don't think I can say that I like her right now. Or that I ever did."

I look away from him with a sigh. "Yeah, can't say I do right now either."

He tilts my head up and I look at him the way anyone would look up at their crush. The lighting in here is dim, which only emphasizes the bright greenness of his eyes. I feel the urge to just take his glasses off so I can see his beautiful eyes better. "Draco… I care a lot about you, you know."

"I care about you too, Harry. But these Games-"

He looks like he's about to say something but suddenly we hear the crowd burst into screams again. _"Gregory Goyle!"_ Lockheart says from the stage. My heart sinks.

"I'm up next…" I say, moving my hands onto his chest. "I'm scared, Harry…"

He looks at me with concern in his perfect green eyes and he hugs me close to him. We stay like this for a few seconds and these seconds are the best of my life. Finally, I hear him chuckle softly, "You know, the last time I followed you somewhere I almost killed you in a bathroom. Now we're hugging."

I smile in amusement and hug him tighter, never wanting to let him go, "I like it better this way."

We pull back to look at each other and Sasha hisses something at Harry. He smiles and rubs her head with his index finger as he speaks Parselmouth back to her, "She's adorable. You had her at the parade too, right?"

"You noticed. Unfortunately she's not mine." I smile softly and half-laugh, as Sasha nuzzles into Harry's hand, "I think she likes you."

"Not every day you meet a nice snake."

I laugh awkwardly when I think of Nagini, Voldemort's hideous, evil – terrible pet snake. "Yeah. Sasha doesn't compare to those others."

Sasha hisses something at Harry and he laughs. They need to stop doing this. I feel so out of the loop because how am I supposed to know what they're saying? It's not like I have a special power where I talk to animals.

"Okay, what'd she say now?"

"She uhh…" He turns red and brushes his bangs out of his eyes, making his lightning scar slightly visible. "She said we look cute together…" I meet his gaze and we suddenly stop. It literally feels like the whole world has stopped turning and I don't even realize we're leaning into each other. Suddenly I feel Sasha tug forward on my neck to bring Harry and I closer, and I stumble, landing into Harry's chest. Luckily he catches me. I laugh, embarrassed and pull back.

"I uh… I should go… My interview-"

"Right..." He says, "Good luck, Draco…"

I smile, "Thanks, Harry." First name basis? I like this.

He lets me go ahead of him and I start walk back to the stage, with Harry behind me. Sasha makes somewhat of a laughing noise of hisses. I shrug my shoulders, "Nice, move, Sasha…" I say sarcastically. She licks my face, amused. "Yeah, yeah…"

I can't help but smile. I think meeting Harry back there kind of boosted up my confidence, but I'm still mad at Pansy and don't even look at her when I make it back stage.

"What about your solitude?" I hear Lockheart say. Goyle is still doing his interview.

"Well, I mean, I'll admit, that I didn't like it at first, Lockheart!" Goyle says, in his very rare friendly tone. I roll my eyes and cross my arms across my chest. "Oh please." I mumble.

"But it really gives you that drive to win even more!" Goyle continues.

I feel my blood go cold and my shoulders drop. Swallowing the rock in my throat, I look over at Harry, who gives me an encouraging smile. But as reassuring as he may seem, I can't help but notice the slight apprehension in his eyes. I smile back, a bit uptight, and turn my head back at Goyle on stage.

"Well, now, Goyle! It's been great!" Lockheart says, standing up. Goyle follows and they say their good-byes before he walks back stage. He's giving me his famous evil glare when suddenly I hear _"Draco Malfoy!"_ I jump and begin to feel my legs shake.

The screaming of the crowd almost knocks me over. I've _never_ in my life have heard anyone scream this loud.

I take a breath and a look down at Sasha, "Ready?" My voice is shaky, but I try to keep it as steady as possible.

She nods. "Okay." I breathe and force my trembling legs forward, hoping they down break from under me. Just the sight alone of this huge stage and the tremendous amount of people that are here is over whelming. I can hear a few people yelling "Dragon" as I walk out. I smile hesitantly, unable to hide my red face. As I slowly step forward, I look at the front row to see Juniper smiling at me with encouragement on her face. I grin back and feel myself relax. If I just focus on her I'll be okay.

"Well, Draco Malfoy." Lockheart stands up to shake my hand and I try to keep on my fake smile. "Everyone's been _dying_ to see you, right folks!?" He addresses the audience and most jump from their seats screaming. My hearts thumping so fast, I can hardly breathe to keep up with it.

"Wow!" I say in shock, taking my gray eyes off of Juniper to scan the audience as Lockheart motions for me to sit down.

"Surprised?" He asks.

"Yeah!" I say with an embarrassed laugh, "I... Didn't think I would ever receive this much attention." The crowd laughs a bit and my face is only getting redder.

"Now, you're name Draco means dragon in Latin, am I correct? I'm guessing that's the theme here."

"Uhm…" I don't know what to really say and I don't want to brag. Snape told me to make people like me, right? I can't make them _hate_ me especially since they _love_ me, now. I guess I can try being mysterious. "I guess – yes." I look down embarrassed and half laugh. "I never really thought it was a big deal until – well – now."

"You're a lot different from the other Slytherins." Lockheart says.

I look up, "Different is a strong word."

Lockheart laughs and I throw my usual "bad boy" grin which gets some girls in the front row screaming. "What word would you use then, Dragon?"

I take a breath to think, twisting my snake ring around my finger with anxiety, "Offbeat?"

"What about unique? There are positive words for different, and while we're on this topic, is there anyone in your life that _you_ find unique?"

I swallow the lump in throat and immediately think of Harry. The whole audience gets dead silent, sitting on the edges of their seats for what I'll say. I hesitate then nod, "Yes. Yes there is."

Lockheart suddenly looks deeply interested, "Would you care to tell us who?"

I smirk again and sit back, "Now, that would just ruin the fun." I hear the audience let loose their held breaths in disappointment. "But I will say this…" Everyone gets tense again, "Mortal enemies _can _fall in love." I can make out some faint gasps from a few people, who probably caught on to what I was implying.

Sasha turns her green head to Lockheart, and I know she doesn't like him, but trying to be friendly, she nudges his cheek with her green nose.

"Oh my! Is this the same snake you had at the parade?"

I smile and pull Sasha away, gently stroking the top of her head. She moves up to my messy hair as if it interests her. "Yeah." I say with a laugh, pulling Sasha's face out of my strawberry fragranced hair – that might be why it attracts her so much.

"She seems to really like you. Then again who doesn't? Is she yours?"

"No, unfortunately." I say, "We're just good friends." I look down at the snake, "Right?" She nudges my cheek and gently licks the edge of my eyebrow. I can make out a few "awes" coming from the crowd that make me go red in the face again.

"Now, Draco. About Goyle…"

Sasha pulls back, sensing how tense I get all of a sudden, coiling herself around me protectively.

"I come to understand there's some tension between you two. Would you care to elaborate?"

I can't tell him. I can't tell the world. Snape will have my head – no, worse – Goyle will. I feel Sasha shift closer for comfort and I fight the urge to make it look like I'm nervous. "Well…" I say, "We'll just have to elaborate more in the Games, now won't we?" I say deviously. I suddenly regret saying any of that. Goyle will take this literally and _really _elaborate. More so in sense where he'll make my death even more painful. I told you I can't think straight when I'm under pressure.

Finally Lockheart stands up, "Draco, it's really been a pleasure!"

I stand up to shake his hand, but to my surprise, he raises it up to the audience. The crowd jumps from their seats and scream so loud, I think my brain might pop in my skull. Juniper nods to me, a signal that I did a passing job, even though I think I did awful. I salute to the audience before waving and making my way back stage.

As soon as I'm concealed by the curtain, I drop my shoulders and let out a heavy sigh of relief, pressing my hand on the right side of chest as if I'm trying to calm my heart rate. I can even feel Sasha loosen up and we both look at each other with equal tranquility, "Great job, girl." She smiles and licks my jaw line.

"Draco, that was stunning!" Umbridge says as she delicately runs over to me, as if she's made of glass and will shatter if she's not being perfect.

She reaches out to give me a hug but Sasha hisses angrily and Umbridge pulls back at the sight of Sasha's fangs being unsheathed. "Oh, yes… Your reptile did well too." She says uncomfortably.

"She has a name…" I say irritated.

"Yes, well…" She looks at me, trying to find a good way to congratulate me, but Sasha keeps hissing. Instead, Umbridge just pats my head and turns to the other Slytherins. "Alright! You all did wonderful! Now you must get to your rooms, tomorrow is the day!" She giggles her usually mousy chuckle making me shiver. I start heading out to follow Umbridge, but Goyle and his gang cut me off. The three of them glare at me and Goyle smirks like the Devil. "Can't wait to _elaborate_, Malfoy." He leans near my ear, the side Sasha isn't on, "See you in the Games, pretty boy."

Sasha hisses and snaps her jaws at him, but Goyle pulls away quickly, trying to avoid another bite.

"Good girl." I say after Goyle walks by. I start to follow and get a view of Harry. He smiles at me and gives me a thumb up, since we're both too far away from each other to talk. I turn red and smile back. I hear Sasha make a kind of weird sound and I swear, she just purred. "Oh, shut up." I say to her with amusement as I follow the others.

It's already time for dinner by the time I returned Sasha to Juniper, get back to the Slytherins, shower to get all the red out of hair (which comes out very easily), change into something comfortable, and finally head downstairs.

I'm exhausted, but I have the strangest feeling I won't be able to sleep night, considering what tomorrow holds.

"There's the Dragon!" Blaise says once I sit down between him and Pansy. He pats my back, "You did great!"

"Thanks, Blaise." Pansy still isn't talking to me, and I'm not talking to her. Now I feel guilty for lashing out at her, and she won't even look at me. She's not even eating. She's just poking her stake with a fork. I try to ignore her and reach for my glass of water. I'm too shaken up for tomorrow to drink anything with flavor.

"So what did you and Potter do?" Blaise says.

I almost choke, _"Do?"_ I cough.

"I saw him follow you… Well… You took a while to come back."

"Yes…" Snape says from across the table. "What the devil is going on between you and Potter, Draco?"

"Uh…" I don't want to say anything since Pansy it right next to me and I know how she feels about me at the moment. "Well…" My eyes dart to the food in the center of the table, "Oh, bread!" I grab a bread roll from a small back basket and bite a huge mouthful off so I would be unable to speak. Instead I just shrug.

"I think I'll be going to bed…" Pansy says flatly.

I swallow hard, even though I'm not done chewing. Pansy doesn't even wait for Snape or Umbridge to object and just goes straight upstairs, whipping her eyes on the way. Now, my appetite's gone. The last thing I would want to do right now is to make Pansy cry. I can't let this go… If we don't make up, one of us will die tomorrow, knowing we never fixed this gap between us.

"Hey… You okay?" Blaise asks.

"Huh?" I look up at him, "Yeah, I'm fine… Just tired." I turn to Snape. "I need my energy. I think I'll get to sleep too."

Snape nods, I guess seeing what's going between Pansy and me. Umbridge is about to object to this, but Snape shuts her up by elbowing her in her arm.

I remember Pansy's room being the second one down from mine. I take a deep breath, not knowing if she'll want to see me or not. I knock on her door before letting myself in after there's no reply.

She's laying on the bed, facing a large window that overlooks the Capitol. I can hear muffled and distance cheering and music coming from outside. Every night before the Games the Capitol throws a huge party that the Tributes don't seem to be too fond of. It's kind of obvious why…

"Hey…" I say flatly.

"What do you want?" She says, without even turning to face me.

I shut the door behind me as I walk inside. "Just uhm… Came to see how you're doing."

I get no reply. This is awful. I don't want her to hate me and I don't want to hate her… Yes, I was mad about what she said, but I guess that was the nerves talking and I took it out on her. There's really no excuse for the way I acted. Sighing I sit on the edge of her bed, her back still facing me. "Look." I say slowly, trying to think of what to say. "I know you're mad at me. But I'm scared too..." I groan softly, not liking how these words are coming out. "Pansy…" I say. "I don't want to die knowing we're not friends anymore."

"….Friends?" She hisses, like the word is poison in her mouth, "That's all we'll ever be to you, isn't it?"

I jolt, a little taken aback, especially at her tone. I blink and take a deep, silent breath, "The point is I'm sorry. I'm sorry for yelling at you for what you said – even though you shouldn't have said it – but that's done and over with now." She doesn't answer. This isn't working. I bit my lip nervously and lie down next to her, wrapping my arm around her waist. To my surprise she doesn't struggle away from me. "Please. I'm sorry." I say, hugging her closer.

We stay like this for a while and she still doesn't budge or speak. I lost. Sighing softly, I let her go as I get up. "Bye, Pansy…" I say defeated, starting for the door.

"Draco, wait!"

I pull my hand away from the door knob and turn to face her blankly. She's sitting up, propped on her elbows now. "You could… stay…"

I smile softly and make my way back over. She pulls the blanket up and we both get under. "I'm sorry too." She says as she cuddles into my chest.

I hug her tightly like this might be our last night together, and kiss the top of her head. She smells sweet – like coconut.

"It's cozy lying next to you." She says, moving closer, "You're warm." She fiddles with my shirt and we both remain quiet for a while. I can't sleep, I'm unable to even shut my eyes, afraid of what I'll see if I do. I can feel my heart pick up speed as I think about tomorrow.

"I've been considering your running away option." Pansy says. "We could, you know. We can be together – grow old – have no worries." She half laughs, "Of course that's just in my fantasy."

I grin tiredly and stare out of the window. The sound of the music below gives me a shudder. "Pansy…" I say.

She keeps playing around with my shirt, "Mm-mmm?"

"Are you scared?" I ask, my voice coming out slightly raspy.

"Of course I'm scared, Draco. But I'm with you now, and I feel… safe."

I don't answer. My eyes are glued to the window, thoughts racing through my mind about tomorrow and what to expect for the next days to come – that is if I make it past tomorrow.

"Draco… I know that you'll never love me back." I blink. "But you'll always have my heart." Her voice is breaking and she wraps her arms around me into a tight embrace, "I love you, Draco. I really do."

I honestly have no idea what to say to her. Is she finally accepting that I love Harry? I don't know what to do. No… actually I do.

I pull away from her slightly and tilt her head up to face me. She looks up at me with tear streaked cheeks. Something about her face makes me feel empty. She looks broken and I can't stand to see her this way. Part of me does love her and it feels like that part is aching in pain, calling for her to stop crying and never leave me. But I know that will never happen. I really need to cherish this moment and be strong for her. I can't cry. I can't let her see I'm broken too. I smile with complete worry taking over my face and wipe those tears away, gently, "Don't cry." I say, pulling her in and pressing my lips to hers. She moves her hand to the side of my face and gently strokes my cheek bone with her thumb before she pulls away. I look at my hand and remember the silver, green eyed snake ring that I kept on my finger, and slide it off. She looks at me questionably as I slide it on her finger. "Don't ever take it off." I kiss the top of her head, "So I'll always be with you, even when we're not together."

Her eyes fill up with more tears and she places her ringed hand over my heart, "Dray-" We press our foreheads together, our lips just meters apart. I can feel her hot breath against me as she shuts her eyes, still crying. I'm trying so hard to hold back. I know my eyes must look glassy with tears.

I look at her with melancholy in my eyes, soon shutting them as well. Eventually, the noises outside become faint, and everything goes black.

* * *

AN: Well, here's 10 like I promised! Finally on part 2! I hope it's good. Fair warning the Games will be gory. I guess you could have guessed that, though - becasue Goyle is insane and sick minded. He was actually meant to act a bit more like Cato... but he turned out to be slightly more insane. Also, thanks for the reviews guys! It means a lot! :D


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – Setting the Dragon Loose

The sunlight beaming in from the window blinds my eyes, forcing me to bury my tired face into Pansy's shoulder with an aggravated moan. She wraps me into a tight hug and it's then that I notice her making soft sniffling sounds. I lock my arms around her back as I feel her gripping onto my shirt, clinging to me for dear life.

"This is it…" She says, choked up.

I fight back the emotion burning the back of my own eyes and nod. "Listen…" I say, trying not to make my voice break. I pull her back from me, so I can look into her water eyes, "Whatever happens, I just want you to know, that this doesn't change anything between us. We can't change. These Games have a way of consuming us. We can't let that happen."

She nods, her bottom lip quivering as she presses her forehead to my chest, "I'll always love you." She tightens her hold on my shirt, "Always."

Suddenly there's a knock on Pansy's door and we both jolt. "Today's the day." Umbridge says from outside, "Time to get up, Parkinson."

I feel Pansy trembling and she starts to breathe heavy, fighting with her tears. She won't let me go and her words become a painful whine, "I don't want to go! Draco-" I hug her closer. My heart has never felt this broken. "It's okay… we'll be okay…" Even though I know we won't be okay – we'll never be okay again. But it's the only thing I can think of. And right now, I can't hold back anymore, I'm about to lose it. I grip her around the waist more securely. No, I can't cry, I need to be strong for her – I'm all she's got right now.

I swallow down the lump in my throat and take a silent breath, pulling Pansy back, and whipping away her tears, "I promise, even if we don't win… We'll be okay."

Umbridge knocks on the door again.

I sigh, pressing my forehead to Pansy's as I brush her hair out of the way of her watery face, "It's time." I tell her. She whimpers, gripping my shirt even tighter, until her hands are trembling against me with completely terror taking over her.

We get ready in our arena clothes that were set aside for us, which meant me having to leave to go to my room. After I shower – since I won't be for a few days – I change into dark gray cargo pants, a dark gray shirt, and a black jacket with green and silver strips stretching down the sleeves and of course, the Slytherin shield on the back. Every House has a different shield on the backs of their jackets and different color strips on their sleeves, depending on which House they're in. It helps the audience know who their watching when the cameras are on us.

After I pull my boots on I add some finishing touches before cautiously fixing my right jacket sleeve while looking around my room as if I have a spy.

Pansy and I are the last to make it downstairs for breakfast and, honestly, my stomach can't even handle the sight of food right now. From the looks of it, Blaise, and even Snape aren't eating.

"You need to eat something." Snape says dully, I guess seeing the sickness on my face.

I shake my head, not even able to hide my emotionless expression. "It'll just come back up if I eat." Not to sound gross, but it will.

Snape gives me a hard stare, "Then good luck finding food in the arena."

"At least eat something…" Umbridge says. It may sound weird, but I can hear the concern in her voice. And I'm just noticing this now, but this whole time it seems like she's just been putting on an act like she's excited for this, when really; she's just as scared as we are. Maybe not literally, but I think she knows this whole thing is wrong. She's just doing her job… I can't help but feel slightly bad for her.

I swallow hard, sharing a look with Pansy before taking a plain bagel from the table. Pansy takes a muffin. But Blaise sits still.

"Not hungry either?" I ask him as I sit next to him.

I don't know why, but for some reason he's not making eye contact with me, and I'm trying to be as friendly as possible. I don't need to make anymore enemies here. "I already ate…" He says slowly.

"…Okay…" I take a bite of my bagel and right away it feels like I might vomit, so I place it down.

"In about few minutes time, I have to take you lot up to the hovercraft." Snape says dully, and I don't mean his usually dull tone. He sounds… broken… I guess these Games have that effect on everyone.

None of us answer and I shift uncomfortably in my seat. I feel slightly awkward sitting next to Blaise. There's something about him that I don't quite trust and it's making me nervous – very nervous. Maybe he's just scared. But so am I, yet, I'm still trying to be "nice", which isn't normal for me. I just don't want another knife in my back. I've already lost Marcus, Crabbe, and especially Goyle to the Games – unlike them, though, I care about Blaise. What if he hurts me even though he said he wouldn't change? No, Blaise wouldn't do that to me… He's been loyal ever since we've become friends and has stuck by me since the Reaping.

I can't eat; all I can do is stare at the clock, remembering Goyle's voice in my ear, _"Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock."_ I groan in pain at the memory. Just then I feel Pansy's hand grip onto mine from under the table. "You okay?" She asks. I just lie with a nod.

"We need to go." Snape says. "Dolores, take Parkinson and Zabini to Hovercraft. It should be on the roof by now. I want a word with Malfoy."

"But… Snape-" Pansy starts.

"Don't worry." I cut her off, giving her a worried smile, trying to be encouraging but I can't fake it right now. "I'll meet you on the Hovercraft."

She looks at Snape's serious face and nods to me. I feel blades pierce my heart when she lets my hand go to follow Umbridge and Blaise. I watch her leave. She won't take her eyes off of me until she turns the corner and we're blocked by the wall. I drop my smile and look at Snape, not saying a word.

"Remember what I told you, Draco. Ignore the weapons and other tributes. Find water – that's your only priority." He says.

I look down and nod, watching my hands shake.

"Malfoy, look at me."

I sigh with a quiver, trying not to cry and look up at him with tear-filled eyes. He leans over the table, slightly, and seriously, "You can do this."

I bit my lip and look back down, shaking my head. I don't want to speak – I might lose it, knowing I'm on the edge right now.

"Malfoy… I know you're afraid of Goyle." I cringe and whimper slightly at his name, shaking even more, trying not to think about he'll kill me.

"But you don't have to fight him… Run… You're a good runner – you're fast. Goyle isn't. You're smarter and stronger than he is, trick him."

I shake my head, "I can't kill…"

"You won't have to. Lure him into a trap… Draco… You have to be smart – plan out your tactics, even if you have to make them up on the spot. Think of all the harassment you did to Potter all your life. You thought most of that up without thinking about it."

"Yeah, but Harry wasn't trying to kill me…"

"You're good at making excuses last minute, Malfoy." Snape says, "Think ahead of Goyle. He isn't smart, you know that. If he fell for what you said back on the train, he can fall for anything."

I bite my lower lip again and rub my right arm, pulling down my sleeve more. I'll think of something… I will.

"Now, are you ready?" Snape asks.

I just nod and follow my mentor as he exits. I look over my shoulder as we leave, thinking this might be the last time I'll ever set on eyes on this room again.

Keeping my head down, Snape leads me into a different elevator then any of the other ones I've been in. I don't even pay attention as to where I'm going and just stare at the floor, trying to concentrate on walking, hoping I won't trip as my anxiety builds up with every step.

When the elevator starts to move, my heart only starts hammering in my chest even faster. I can feel the fear building up by the second. Ever second is a second closer to what I might face. I'm about to lose anyone I ever cared about. Everything we've all been through… what was it for? For this? Was it all just so we can feel more pain and fear? To suffer from Voldemort even more, despite the fact that he's dead? I'm so scared; I think I might go mad. "Malfoy." Snape says, breaking me from my thoughts.

I hold my right arm and look up at him. "There won't be an axe. So if you're getting any ideas, forget it."

"What… But… What will I even use?"

"I told you to just_ run_. Everything will be in the mouth of the cornucopia. _Ignore_ the weapons – all of them – and run for it. The first part of the Games is the blood bath – they're trying to lure you in. Do you understand, Draco? If you don't take this advice, you will die."

I nod shakily.

"Good."

The elevator door opens to the roof, and in front of me, I see the hovercraft waiting for me to get on, so it can take me to my torment.

"Draco…" Snape says, turning to me with a soft smile and placing his hand on my shoulder. "I know you can do this. You're smart, show them you're smart."

I nod, "Thanks…"

He pulls back towards the elevator. But something about the way he's pulling away from me looks as if he wants to prevent me from leaving, like he wants to reach out and just pull me out of this mess. "Good luck…" The doors shut him out of my sight and I turn to the hovercraft, taking a deep breath and forcing my legs to walk forward.

There are no windows in here – none. The Game Keepers don't want us taking a sneak peek of the arena before we land. I wonder what it'll even be. Not that it matters – I'm not much for outdoors. But if it's a dessert I'll kill myself for everyone. Yeah, I know I said the Capitol will kill tributes anyway if we try to kill ourselves, but if I'm already dead they can't kill me twice. What could they do to me that they haven't already?

In a way I guess it's okay there are no windows in here. I don't like heights. Plus it doesn't build up as much anxiety since we can't tell where we're going – although it keeps us all guessing.

Pansy and Blaise are already inside, but the only empty seat is next to Goyle. He can't hurt me yet, and there are guards in here, so if he tries anything he'll be killed. But, of course, I still feel awkward sitting next to him.

As I strap myself in, I notice a guard walking around, sticking some sort of thick needle in the other Tribute's arms. I lean over in my seat to get a better look at what this device is for. Whatever that thing is it looks painful, like a really big, long, thick needle that's shaped like a gun. It looks painful.

I notice the guard grab onto Hermione's arm and when the needle pierces her skin, she lets out a painful, but quiet squeak.

The guard makes her way over to me and I slide my right arm back. "Arm." She says strictly, holding her hand out.

I cautiously give her my left arm, but she roughly grabs my wrist. "What is this?" I say as I notice her inch this thing to my skin. She rolls up my sleeve and pauses at my dark mark. Hesitantly, she finally stabs me in a blank spot. I grunt in pain as that spot on my arm glows blue under my pale skin, "Tracker." The guard says.

I pull my sleeve down and watch as she stabs the tracker in Harry's arm. He grits his teeth and winces in pain.

Goyle nudges me, and I jump slightly, "Nervous, pretty boy?"

I don't answer him and just look down, gripping my seatbelt.

The hovercraft will be landing soon – very close to the arena. We still don't see it yet, since we're escorted underground to meet with our stylists – they're the last friendly faces we see before we die.

A few Hufflepuffs on here are crying, but I still hold my head down. I can hear Goyle making jokes about them to Crabbe, who's sitting next to him.

I roll my eyes, "Oh, please…" I mutter.

"What'd you say?" Goyle snaps to me.

"I didn't say anything…" I say.

"I heard you say something."

"….Just knock it off Goyle…" I say.

"Ohh!" Marcus says from next to Crabbe. "Look who's trying to be tough now! You better run little bunny."

Oh, I'll run, but they won't catch me.

We finally land and some guards carry us off in different directions. The guard I'm with drags me into an underground tunnel that eventually opens up into a white hallway. I don't know where I'm going, but looking around I see a lot of different rooms. He throws into one of them, roughly and slams the door on his way out.

The room I'm in is white – completely white, with just a plain table near the wall. And in the center is Juniper with Sasha around her shoulders. I start to breathe heavy, trying to hold back my emotion and run into her arms.

She embraces me protectively. I bury my face into her shoulder. "Oh, Draco…" She says. It's so quiet in here, that even when she speaks softly to me her voice bounces off of the walls.

She pulls back from me and I start to shake – so bad I think I might pass out. I turn my head slightly to look at Sasha, and even she's wearing an expression of sympathy. She reaches her head over to my horror stricken face; shutting her eyes as she presses her nose to my cheek. I swallow hard, trying to hold back tears. I know there are cameras in here, and tears are a sign of weakness. I won't get sponsors that way.

I look up at Juniper and open my mouth to say something.

_"Thirty seconds."_ I gasp softly and turn my head to the intercom on the wall, above the door I came through. I start shaking more. I have thirty more seconds with Juniper until I have to go into the arena…

I turn back to her, frantically and she grabs my right arm, pinching the object that's hidden under my sleeve. My heart lurches. "I won't tell anybody." She whispers.

I look at her gratefully as she moves her hand to my shoulder, "Thank you." I rasp. We hug again, until I hear: _"Twenty seconds."_ I take a breath and we pull back. It's then, that I notice the clear glass tube in the corner of this room. When I set foot in that, the pedestal beneath my feet will rise upward, bringing me, and all of the other tributes to the center of the arena. We can't just run off yet though – there's a countdown, and if we set foot off of our pedestal early – before time is called, the mines underneath us will blow up. We have one minute before the blood bath starts, otherwise.

I swallow and slowly walk over to the tube. _"Ten seconds."_

I feel cold – more like freezing. I've _never_ been this horrified in my life.

Slowly, I walk into this glass case and as soon as I do, the clear door slides shut behind me, blocking out any outside sound. I gasp and look at Juniper, panting in fear. She looks scared for me and so does Sasha. We look at each other for a few seconds more until I feel the pedestal jerk from under me. I jolt as the thing starts to rise up to the arena.

No… I don't want to go up there. I know I'll die – I know I won't make it past the cornucopia…

I ball my fists up at my sides, shaking and finally, I'm brought up, outside, standing in a half circle with the other tributes. The light almost burns my eyes as I look around at the arena. It's set in the woods… Good, no dessert.

I try to calm myself down… I only have one minute to plan out my tactics. _Okay, look around you – who's next to you?_

I turn my head. Hermione on my left – a Hufflepuff on my right. _Good, no Goyle. _

_"60… 59… 58…"_ The countdown is starting… The voice is automated but… It sounds a lot like my father…

_"56… 55… 54…"_

_Okay, okay, calm down… How far is the cornucopia? _

45 to 50 yards. Weapons and backpacks are scattered around in various parts in the mouth of the cornucopia. I can't worry about any of that stuff. The center of the arena is just a huge empty, grassy circle, very open – I can't stay here too long when I get off the pedestal.

_Look! Where's Goyle?_

On the very far end of the circle. He's far away from me, but he's glaring at me with a smirk. _The weapons will keep him distracted! Ignore him and run!_

_Backpacks! _Snape said not to worry about weapons, but said nothing about a backpack. The supplies are a lot closer than the weapons. If I can just –

_"45… 44… 43…"_

A backpack, I'll take a backpack. It's risky, but I'll need the supplies more than a weapon.

_"38… 37… 36…"_

_The woods! How far away is the forest?" _ Farther away from the cornucopia, so maybe a 100 yards. I'm fast, I can make it if I concentrate.

_What about Harry? _I look around the half circle of Tributes until I finally see him wedged on my far left between two Ravenclaws. He looks ready, determined, but also scared – we all do, but there's something slightly different… His glasses. He's not wearing glasses. I tilt my head. Can he see okay? Maybe they forced the poor boy into wearing contacts. I'm not use to seeing him without glasses and he looks –

_"29… 28… 27…"_

_ Concentrate! Look around, what are you missing? _Water! Any sources of water… I turn my head over my shoulder, nothing in the woods about 100 yards behind me, and I can't see too far from where I am anyway.

_"22… 21… 20…"_

Water will have to wait until I get into the forest _– if _I make it that far.

_ Marcus and Crabbe! Where are they?_ Marcus isn't too far from my right, and Crabbe is two Ravenclaws away from him. They're also glaring at me with the same motivation of death as Goyle.

_"15… 14… 13…."_

I don't have much time left. _Where can you run?_

Straight. I'll run straight, pick up that black back pack that's sitting 30 yards in front of me, not look back, and bolt to the forest, keep running – I can't stop until I'm certain I'm not being followed.

_"10… 9… 8…"_

Get ready. Concentrate. Pay no attention to anyone else. Deep breath…

_ "5…4…."_

Marcus' voice is ringing in my ears, "You better run little bunny."

_ "3… 2… 1."_

* * *

AN: And here. We. Go!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Allies

Somewhere in the hovercraft overhead, a gong sounds for us to take off and I don't hesitate. My heart's pounding in my chest and I breathe heavy to keep up with it as I run off my pedestal, remembering my training. I'm fast – I know I'm fast – I'm probably faster than anyone here. I'm _not_ dying yet. My eyes are set on that forest. If I can make it there alive, I know I've achieved something.

I'm so close to that backpack, now. It's getting closer… closer… almost there. I can feel the blood pounding in my ears with anxiety and anticipation. I can hear the heavy huffs of my breath as I run for my life, and feel the Earth beneath me shake with the rhythm of my heart as my feet pound the ground. People are dying around me. I hear screaming, blades thrashing, people yelling in agony, flesh tearing… I've never seen this much fighting – this much blood. People are losing things that are meant to stay inside of them, and it makes me sick, even with a quick glance. I feel a pang of nausea, but I need to keep going. Suddenly, something wet hits my pale and horror- stricken face. Just inches from the backpack now, I skid to a halt in terror and turn my head to meet whatever is coming at me.

A Hufflepuff drops to his knees a look of complete shock and fear taking over his young and innocent face. Blood gushes heavily from his mouth as he makes spine chilling gurgling sounds. He has a blade in his hand – probably just about to kill me. I pant in fear, looking around for the person that killed him. When the boy's body hits the ground, I notice a spear in his back. My heart lurches and my breath slightly hitches as I forget to breathe. Harry.

He quickly runs over to retrieve his weapon from the Hufflepuff's crimson back. Blood from his body begins to stain the green grass in red, stretching a pool around him. His body is still twitching and he's still gagging. Eventually, he stops his suffering and goes limp against the ground. Harry's green eyes meet mine and I swallow the hard knot in my throat at the look on his face. His green eyes are full of remorse and I can see his hand shaking while he holds the spear in his right hand. Regret takes over his face, but I can't help but hint a slight pang relief. Maybe it's becasue he just saved me from getting stabbed to death. He gives me a curt nod before taking off for the woods, not even bothering about anything else.

Quickly, I snatch up my backpack and run for it. As I'm running I can see the scene around me. Goyle took my advice and already has his sword from the cornucopia. I almost forget to breathe when I see him slice a Hufflepuff's stomach open, freeing the intestines, and spins quickly around to cut a Ravenclaw's throat just before she has time to rise up her spotless, silver knife. I don't know what possesses me to stop, but my legs won't move. I'm horrified. Did he really just kill two tributes at the same time?

When his eyes meet mine, I feel an unpleasant shiver running up and down my spine. He smirks that famous grin of his. "MALFOY!" He pushes the Ravenclaw's bloody body away from him, making her corpse hit the ground; blood spewing and spitting from the slit in her throat. He finally bolts over to me.

_RUN! RUN!_

I stagger, slightly hesitant, and run into the woods, where I'm finally covered by trees and bushes. I take a glimpse over my shoulder to see who we lost. Neville, Seamus, all the Hufflepuffs and most of the Ravenclaws, all covered in blood. Some look gutted… some without limbs. Neville has throwing knifes in his back and – wait – I almost skid to a stop. Throwing knives? Pansy?

Suddenly I hear something rustling in the underbrush near me and I turn my head away from the blood bath, but before I can even see what's going on ahead of me, a flash of red hits me and I stagger to stand. I hear a deep grunt from whoever rammed into me and I lose my balance. Both my attacker and I go down a deep hill. I grunt in pain when I feel something smash my shoulder on the way down. I can't see who my attacker is, but whoever it is, they're not attempting to hurt me. When my body thumps the solid ground hard, I feel slightly winded. Nevertheless, I push myself up to see who ran into me. My blood goes cold when I come face to face with Ron Weasley. We both stare at each other, horrified, like one of us is waiting to kill the other. Neither of us attempts it. Ron jerks away when he hears rustling near the top of the hill. We both jump to our feet, hesitantly, as if one of us will kill the other without warning. But instead, we part away from each other without looking back.

I don't stop running and I don't look behind me. I'm so out of breath, my throat is dry and my shoulder hurts like hell. The pain is holding me back, I know it, and my pace beings to slow down with exhaustion and panic. _No! Keep running! He'll find you if you stop!_

Forcing my legs forward, I keep pushing. The cameras are on me now I know it, but I'm not worried about that, I'm worried about what might have happened to my shoulder. What the hell did I hit on the way down that hill? It feels dislocated or badly bruised.

I don't know how long I've been running, but I can't anymore. Panting heavily, I stop by a tree to catch my breath. I lean against it and wheeze to breathe; clutching my chest, feeling my legs tremble with exhaustion from under me. I can't stay here; I feel too out in the open. Looking around, I notice a small ditch beside the tree I'm near. My legs are shaky, partly because I'm tired, but mostly because I'm terrified.

I use the tree to hold me up as I make my way down the ditch, fearing me legs will buckle from under me if I don't have any support. When I'm finally out from the open, I try – more than ever to get myself to calm down. I'm surprised I still have whatever is left of my sanity in tack after what I saw back there. _Okay, calm down, you're alone now. Just breathe._ I tell myself. I throw my head back against the dirty, rock hard barrier behind me and shut my eyes for a moment until I hold myself together.

Neville. I can't believe we lost him, and… Pansy – she's the only one who would use throwing knives, but part of me doesn't want to believe she killed him. It does seem like something Pansy would do, I just… don't want to admit it to myself she did. Seamus looked like he was trying to cover Neville and from what I saw, he got a sword in his stomach. Since after he died, he landed relatively close to Neville's body. I'm guessing it was sacrifice. Seems like a pretty noble and brave thing for a Gryffindor to do anyway.

I finally begin to feel my breathing become shallower after a long moment of silence, when suddenly, something makes me shoot my eyes open and jolt my head up.

The cannon.

After a Tribute dies, the Capitol sounds off a cannon to announce that a Tribute has fallen. At night their pictures come up on the hovercraft so we can see who we lost. I'm counting the shots – _1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7… 8… 9… 10… 11… 12._

Twelve dead – twelve alive. Including Goyle and his little followers.

Once I finally catch my breath, I can dig through my backpack. I slide it off my back and set it down in front of me.

When I open it I find: a tin can of medicine, some bandages, sun glasses… I shrug... Maybe they could be of some use. What else do I have? A water bottle. I grab it quickly, and unscrew the top as if desperate for even a drop of water. But when I lean the bottle to my mouth I sigh in aggravation. Empty… Of course it's empty; no one's nice enough to give us poor unfortunate souls some damn water. They expect us to find it ourselves… but I don't know how to look for water. I'm surprised I even made it this far.

Great… Now I'm getting thirsty with just the thought of it. Most of us will die of natural causes out here anyway… I don't want that to be my death row. If I die, I want to know I fought for something.

What else…

A rope… I guess I can use this if I sleep in a tree like a god damn fugitive. No fires and I'm _not_ sleeping on the ground. I can be killed very easily in my sleep and found much faster with a fire. So… fire and ground is out for me. I'll just find a nice hard tree for my boney ass. I miss my bed back home…

I'm not leaving this spot either, although I should soon. This whole arena is operated by Mad Eye and the other Game Keepers. That means they can make it day time or night time whenever they want; they have a whole operating system in the Capitol where they see and control everything in here. It's actually a very big arena, but for some reason it's so easy to find everyone. I think it's because we all tend to migrate on the same side of this place. But whenever something weird happens, you can assume it's Mad Eye's doing. He tells the other Game Keepers what he wants, and they make it happen. So it might get dark soon, which means I should pack up and be on my way, anxiety or not.

I also haven't heard the cannon for a few minutes. I'm surprised Cho is still alive – at least I think she is; I couldn't get a clear look at all the fallen Ravenclaws back at the blood bath, so I'm just guessing. Lavender too. I'm _really_ shocked she's still around. She seems all to pretty and perfect to be in something like this.

Sun is setting… I should get going.

I stuff everything back in my backpack as neatly as I can and put my water bottle in one of the side pockets so it's within easy reach. Now, I'm off. I get to my feet slowly, still a bit shaken up from what I saw back there. Back on the train I remember Goyle complaining about fighting like a Muggle… he's doing a pretty damn good job at it despite what he said. Solitude seemed to do him well. I mean, he gutted a Hufflepuff and slit a Ravenclaw's throat open in one whole attack… I can't even do that, nor do I want to. The sight of blood tends to make me sick. Or just gore in general. Over the summers when I was younger, Blaise would have us all sleep over his house and watch horror movies, even though he knew I hated them. And at night, when we all tried to sleep, he spent the quietness of the night trying to scare me (Aside from Goyle's snoring, which was scary in itself). I know it sounds childish, but this is how my friends use to tease me. In a strange way, I love those good times and I miss them terribly. But just the thought of them makes me smile, briefly taking my mind of off everything that's happening around me at this moment.

Now, my mind is brought back to hunger. I should have eaten this morning – my stomach is growling by now and my mouth is starting to get dry. _Alright, forget food, think about something else._

What if Goyle is secretly following me and I just don't know it? He's huge and his feet are enormous – I would have heard him since he doesn't know how to step quietly, but still… I'm paranoid and I keep glancing over my shoulder for him, not knowing when his sword will go through my chest. I sigh softly at the thought of him. I miss him. Part of me really misses him. I miss Crabbe, and even Marcus – everyone. What were the odds that we all ended up in this together? We've been through pretty much everything imaginable just by staying loyal to one another. Even Harry and me, despite the fact that we were enemies most of our lives, we both went through a lot together. I can say the same thing for Ron and Hermione. We hate each other yes, but even still, they were a part of my life and I was a part of theirs.

I'm trying to keep my mind off water… I miss Pansy – I wonder where she is, what she's doing. Is she looking for me? I smirk at the thought. Probably not. She told me she'd never change and that she'd always love me, but did she really mean that? If or when she finds me in the Games will she kill me or let me go? Will I let her go? Yes. Of course I'd let her go, even if she tries to kill me – I won't fight her back. And Harry. He took a life back at the blood bath. I didn't even see that Hufflepuff come at me, brandishing a knife and everything. If he didn't get to me in time I would have been part of that pile of bodies near the cornucopia. I secretly thank him for saving my life…again… but I've never seen him kill out of protection before – or actually, I've never seen him kill at all.

If I encounter him, will he kill me? Maybe he just saved my life only so he can rip me open himself. No, that's not Harry, but then again, these Games change people. I mean they really change us. I don't know what it is, but there's something about the arenas they put us in that turn the weak at heart evil. It could be dark magic, I don't know, and then again, it could just be our inner greed wanting power, revenge, and victory. I immediately think of Goyle again, shivering when his ugly face pops into my head. But he's just naturally evil at heart, so not much has changed.

We were good friends before all this madness happened; now he's turned into a monster. In order to keep what's left of our dignity under control, we need to learn to fight whatever is trying to turn us away from the light. I wish I knew this before I got my dark mark. I grip my left arm at the thought. Maybe I could have helped myself instead of just letting Voldemort consume me. Maybe… maybe if I was stronger I wouldn't be a one of them. I'd be me… nothing else but me… I wouldn't be the monster – the killer that I am. But even though he's dead I still feel like he owns me. As long as I have this mark on my arm I'll always feel that way.

Everyone wants to win for the same reasons; no one wants to die, but only one comes out alive. Out of the twelve of us that are left right now, one will stand alone and be the victor. There can't be two. If God willing, I do win, I'll lose both Harry and Pansy. I can't live with that. Harry is stronger than me – much stronger. He's lost everyone in his life, yet he still manages to keep that amazing smile on his face.

I'm not like that – I can't handle lose or pain. And honestly, if I do win, I don't know if I'll make it back home alive… Yes… I'm implying that I'll take my own life.

My stomach interrupts my thoughts, and I'm suddenly reminded of how hungry and thirsty I am again.

I sigh as I walk the clearing slowly. Suddenly I jump when I hear a scream.

"No, please!" My heart starts pounding in my chest.

"Where you think you're going, Ravenclaw." Who is that? It sounds like… my eyes widen and I instinctively take a step back.

"_Goyle." _At first I think I say his name in my head, but by the hoarseness and fear in my tone, I realize I'm saying his name aloud and immediately clamp my hand over my mouth. Looking around, I realize no one is close enough to hear me, so I cautiously walk forward.

"No, stop, please!" He said Ravenclaw. But that doesn't sound like Cho...

My heart lurches. _Luna!_

I quick the walk and run in the direction of her scream, which isn't too far from me. I can't let Goyle see me so I take cover near a few thick trees. Their conversation is getting closer and I strain my neck around the trunk and leaves to get a better look.

I can't see Luna too well because she's being held back by Crabbe and Marcus and their backs are towards me. The only thing about Luna I can really see are her arms being tightly held behind her back, and her long, curly, blond hair tied up in a ponytail, allowing her curly and now, messy hair to drip down the middle of her shoulder blades. Blaise and Pansy are with them too, but there's something off about Blaise. He's smirking… like he's enjoying this…

"Stop… please… don't kill me…" I have never heard Luna sound so terrified. But even now, her voice still sounds shallow and small.

"Goyle stop this!" Pansy says, "Kill her already, can't you see she's in pain!?"

Pain? Luna's hurt. It's then I notice blood dripping on the ground from her waist. She must have been stabbed. I look around for the knife and find a bloody one in Marcus' free hand. It's soaked in crimson to the hilt, dripping blood on his hand while he holds it.

Goyle turns to Pansy and she backs up. My eyes widen and my nails scratch the bark nervously. "What'd you say, bitch?"

Pansy backs up with trauma in her eyes. "I…I'm just saying-" She gives a loud yelp when Goyle grabs her by the hair. "I'm not interested in you yet… I still need to kill your cute little boy friend, so don't make me gut you early!"

Pansy whimpers in pain and finally, Goyle releases her. He turns to Blaise with a nod of approval. "Kill her."

Blaise nods back to him in agreement with a smirk on his face. I shake my head as I watch him. _No, Blaise… no…_

He twirls his knife around in his hand and slashes it at her throat. He's so quick about it that I hardly know what's happening. I cover my mouth in shock, trying not to yell. Luna gags and gurgles up blood through her mouth. All I see is blood spill on the ground like a full bucket of water. Marcus and Crabbe let her go and her limp, dead body falls into her own puddle of blood.

I shake my head, "Blaise…" I say into my hand. Then the cannon shoots off, announcing Luna's death. I can't take my eyes off of her body. Her back is towards me, but just watching her die is enough to make me lose part of my sanity.

I whimper into my palm, feeling like I might vomit and shut my eyes, leaning my head against the trunk of this tree.

Suddenly I hear Blaise shuffle in the leaves like something startled him, "Who's there!?" My eyes shoot open and I spin around, pinning my back against the back of the tree trunk, out of sight.

"What did you see?" I hear Goyle say. I want to run, but they'll see and/or hear me if I do. I can't take that chance so I press my back harder against the trunk and stay quiet and perfectly still.

"I don't know. I just thought I heard something." Blaise says thoughtfully.

"Come on, let's go, I'm hungry." Crabbe says.

"Whatever it was, it's gone now." I hear Marcus say, "I'm hungry too…"

"We're all hungry you nimrods! Get your weapons and let's go! You people better know how to hunt because The Dragon won't be the only throat I'm slitting." Goyle barks. I wait until their footsteps are out of ear shot before I release my held breath.

What did I just see? I'm still horror stricken – did Blaise really just… I shake my head. He said he would never change. Now he's becoming just as sick as Goyle. "No…" I breathe, pressing the back of my head to the tree. "Don't so this, Blaise…" I say to no one in particular.

Okay, I need to pull myself together and get out of here. I sigh and look around the tree at Luna's body. I hesitate and bite my lip before looking around at my surroundings carefully. Good, no one's coming, so I quietly make my way into the clearing.

As I get closer I try to ignore the feel of being sick. There's so much blood – her whole body is practically swimming in it. I swallow the lump in my throat as I kneel down beside her face. Her eyes are open and bloody. I look at her with sympathy for a moment before gently shutting her eyes close. "I'm sorry, Luna…" I whisper.

Suddenly I feel a strong a wind and look up above the trees to see the hovercraft readying to lower its large claw to pick up Luna's body. I back far away to give room and watch as she gets lifted into the hovercraft. The wind is still strong as the hovercraft starts to leave, and I quickly scan the area before leaving the clearing to continue my search for water.

I wonder where they even put the bodies after the Tributes die. In some part of hovercraft, yes, but where?

I still can't figure out why Blaise would ally himself with Goyle and his Nazis. That's what people tend to do in the Games. They become allies for a little while until someone decides to cut the string. I had a feeling Goyle would end up with Marcus and Crabbe, but Blaise? Pansy looked like she was forced to join – she seemed all too scared to just walk in on her own.

But, Blaise… Why? I know him, and Blaise would never kill. I knew he looked out of it this morning; he must have been trying to pick which side he's on. I'll need to steer clear of him from now on; so now out of the eleven tributes standing, I have four enemies. Four. If I'm ever so unfortunate to encounter all four of them at the same time –

I don't even want to think about it.

The sky is getting a bit darker. The sun is setting and I still haven't found any source of water or food. My arms wrap around my waist as my stomach starts to growl again. I'm so hungry… Thirsty…

There's got to be something to eat in the woods. I've heard some types of bark and roots can be okay… leaves too, even barriers, but I'm not taking any chances with barriers. I have no idea which ones are poisonous and which ones aren't.

I groan as my stomach snarls again. Food and water would have to wait for the night; I need to find a place to sleep before it gets too dark.

I walk around a bit more until I find the thickest tree with as many leaves a possible. I dig a toe into the bark of the trunk and reach my arm up to grab a branch. There's a piercing pain in my shoulder and I pull back with a grunt. I forgot about falling down that hill and now I'm just reminded of how bad my shoulder hurts.

I hop down from the tree, pressing my back against it and holding my shoulder in agony. It hurts so badly, but I don't think it's broken. I give myself a few moments for the pain to ebb before turning back to the tree. Then I suddenly hear rustling, like a million footsteps.

"There he is!" I hear a voice yell.

Oh no… No….

I spin around and there they are. All four of them, running towards me – wait… Four…. Where's Blaise? My heart starts to pound as they laugh and yell – eager to kill me.

My feet don't move for some reason. I'm frozen.

"DRACO, RUN! RUN!" Pansy screams. That must have been what I was waiting for because I take off.

"Where you think you're going, Dragon!?" I hear Marcus taunt behind me.

No, I won't stop running. Goyle's laughing insanely. I don't want him to kill me. He'll torture me. I can't let him get me, not yet, not now.

"DRACO!" I hear Pansy scream again, but she sounds like she's in pain. I skid to a halt and spin around. Goyle has an arm wrapped around her waist, binding her arms to her sides. His free hand is holding his sword, that's held up to Pansy's throat.

I take a step forward, feeling the fire build up inside me. He pulls the sword closer to her and I stop moving at the sound of Pansy's yelp. "Ah, ah, ah. Don't come any closer." Goyle says.

I freeze and look at Pansy nervously. "Goyle, please… Let her go…"

"In a moment. Blaise, grab him."

I look around for Blaise, but I don't see him. Suddenly I hear rusting in the bushes and something tight wraps around my throat. I grip whatever it is to let me go, squirming.

"No, no." A familiar voice says in my ear. Whatever is wrapped around my throat tugs on me, making me gag. It's Blaise. He tightens his hold around my throat and I pull his arm so I can breathe.

"Now, Draco…" Goyle says, stroking Pansy's cheek with his blade, "You can either do what I ask, or your pretty little slut dies."

I try to wrangle myself away from Blaise, but he tugs on my throat hard, making me yelp, tossing my head back against his shoulder with a heavy hitch of my breath. "She doesn't have much time…." Goyle taunts, bringing the sword back down under Pansy's chin, readying to cut her throat. She cries in pain.

"No! Stop!" I gag. Blaise loosens his hold on me so I can speak. "Okay… Okay, I'll do what you say – whatever you say, just please don't hurt her!"

Goyle smirks and let's Pansy go, "Good boy. Let him go, Blaise. But don't' be gentle."

He releases me roughly and leaves to join Goyle and the others. Pansy whimpers and runs into my arms, desperate to get away from them, and I don't blame her. I hug her tight and let her cry. "It's okay. You're okay…" I say in her ear panting in fear. Goyle laughs and taps his sword on his shoulder.

"Now, what do you want, Goyle?" I say as I push Pansy behind me. If anyone is getting hurt here, it's me.

Goyle turns to the others and they all start to smirk like they're all thinking of a secret plan and it amuses them. Slowly, he starts making his way over to me, and I back up, keeping Pansy close behind me.

"Potter." My eyes widen in shock. "And you, pretty boy…" He gently strokes my cheek with his blade and I stay perfectly still, not taking my fear filled eyes off of his cold and evil ones. "You are gonna lead us to him."

I swallow hard, "What do you want with Harry? It's me you're after and I'm standing, alive, right in front of you."

"Right." He leans in and presses his blade closer to my face, making me pull away slightly. "I'm saving the best for last."

"You're a coward, Goyle. You won't kill me – you can't."

He scowls at me and lowers his blade. Just when I think he's finished he grabs my throat with his thick, fat hand. I gasp for air and grab his arm, forcing him back, but he's way too strong. Pansy squeaks in horror behind me and grips my shoulders.

"Oh, I can't!? Say one more word and you'll see how fast I can snap your neck like a twig."

"Goyle, he didn't mean it!" Pansy says from behind me, "Please just let him go! He'll take you to Harry!"

I feel my heart slowing down. I can't breathe and I can't even gasp for any air – his hand is wrapped around my neck too tightly. It feels like my throat is actually caving in, not allowing any air in or out, like I'm being strangled by a snake. He looks down at me and smirks, pulling me closer. I cough, looking away from his hideous grin.

"You will lead us to him. Understand?"

I can feel every bit of life draining out of me, but I still manage to nod my head. "Good." He sneers and lets me go. I can't stand upright and have to grip a tree trunk to keep my balance. My hand slams onto my chest as I gasp for the air I lost.

I feel Pansy rub my back and hear the others laughing. "You okay?" Pansy asks. I nod when I start to catch my breath.

"Someone make a fire." Goyle orders. Marcus and Crabbe run off for fire wood, which leaves Pansy and me alone with Goyle and Blaise.

We sit against a tree, waiting for the others to return. Across from us, Goyle and Blaise are having their own conversation.

I sigh and hug my legs to my chest, rubbing my arms to keep warm.

This will be a long night.

* * *

AN: Well, here we go, the first chapter of actually being in the Games is here. I feel like it's been a while since I updated, and I apologize, but college just felt like throwing so much to me at once. But luckily I got this weekend to write. I also hope this one is good enough. It took me awhile to edit. This chapter has been done for awhile, but it didn't read well to me, so I did some major editing to it. Maybe it was becasue I rushed it at first since I had so many ideas. But nevertheless I think it's good enough to post now! I hope you like it. I'm very sorry if there are still some minor errors. It's been one looooong day, and tomorrow I can finally relax. But I just really wanted to get this chapter up tonight. Well, I hope you like it! I need to go get some sleep before I use my laptop as a very uncomfortable pillow. Lol. Chapter 13 will be up soon! Hope you keep reading and that you're enjoying it so far :)


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – Mudblood

I only doze off for a few minutes when I hear the anthem start to play. It's still dark, so there's no light to burn my eyes to keep them shut. I blink my gray eyes open tiredly, to look up at the hovercraft. I finally get to see who we lost, even though I pretty much know from what I saw at the blood bath. Still, I can't help the anxiety that's building up. I know I won't see Harry up there, but I can't contain my nerves – it's like I will see him even though I know he's still alive. Just the thought alone that he's in danger scares me. The others turn their heads to look, and laugh softly to each other at how week some of the Tributes are – the Hufflepuffs in particular. I hear Marcus mumble something to Blaise about the Ravenclaws being too smart for this. I blink in confusion. Does that even make sense? I just shake my head slightly and roll my eyes.

I just really hope I don't see Harry. He's alive, I know he is, otherwise; Goyle wouldn't want me to find him. Plus the last time I heard the cannon it was for Luna, not for Harry.

The first to be announced are the Hufflepuffs and we lost all of them. Okay so I can check them off my list. I knew they were gone anyway. Who's next? Most of the Ravenclaws. I was right, Cho is still alive, but Luna… her picture is the last to appear for the Ravenclaws and I notice Goyle nudge Blaise playfully and laugh. "That was your kill." He says, pointing up to her picture. Blaise looks mighty proud of what he did to that poor girl and I fight the urge to say something nasty. Instead I take part of my rage on the fire and poke the wood roughly with a stick since it looks like it's dying down.

Next are the Gryffindors. Seamus is first and Neville is last. The anthem fades out and the hovercraft goes black, making the arena go back to its eerie, lifeless atmosphere. I breathe out my held breath in slight relief. I wish there was some way I can warn Harry about what Goyle is making me do…

So, let's see, who's still alive. Me – shockingly, Goyle – unfortunately, Marcus, Crabbe, Blaise, Pansy, Lavender… Who else… Oh, Harry! Ron, Hermione… and Cho… I think that's it.

I should probably watch out for Ron. He didn't kill me before, but he might have just wanted to escape – not wanting to risk himself if we fought. I mean, he was a jerk to me back at training when I wanted to talk to Harry privately, so I would think he wouldn't hesitate on killing me if he caught me again.

Whatever, right now, Ron shouldn't be my worry. I need to figure out how I can detour these losers away from Harry. Why do they even think I know where he is? I have no idea. I saw him run into the woods back at the blood bath, but I didn't stay too long to find out where he was running to. I could just lead them anywhere and they would never know. Goyle would believe anything, seriously, if I told him Harry was hiding under a rock, he'd be stupid enough to go look there. It's Blaise I'm a bit worried about. He's not stupid and he might catch on, thinking I'm leading them into some sort of trap. Which is true… I could out run them easily, but Pansy… Goyle will use her as my weakness to keep me allied. I'm stuck here either way.

I hug my legs tighter to my chest as my anxiety hicks up, making me shiver. What do I do? There's nothing I can do without getting slaughtered. I can't let them find Harry. He has to win, and I'll do whatever I can to make sure he wins. I have to hold Goyle off, though. If I die, he'll still find Harry no matter what. I know what I need to do and I need to find Harry and warn him. Somehow, I need to get out of this allayment, but it won't be easy with Pansy here. I can't risk her getting hurt either, because I care about her too. Plus, Harry needs to know I love him. I whimper softly at the thought of him and press my forehead to my knees. Help… I'm so scared.

"Malfoy!" I hear Goyle say with bitterness and impatience in his tone. I pick my head up. He must have been calling me for a while, since everyone is looking at me suspiciously.

"What?" I say with a nasty tone.

"Do dragons have good hearing? 'Cause yours sucks."

I roll my eyes. "What do you want, Goyle?"

"You're being far too quiet. I don't trust you…"

"Oh, good, now we're even. Are you done, now? I think you've put me through enough tonight and I'm tired."

"You better watch it…" Blaise says.

I glare over at him, "Oh, it speaks!" I say with sarcasm and turn my head away, "Traitor." I mumble under my breath.

He looks blank for a moment, but his expression soon turns to anger. I know he heard me.

"Let it go." Goyle says. Blaise looks at him in shock and so do I, both of us astonished to see that he just broke up a soon-to-be fight. "You can kill each other tomorrow. For now, get some sleep. Draco, you're look out."

I want to argue against this because I'm so tried right now. It might be better if I keep my big mouth shut for once. Sitting back against the tree I notice Blaise finally break eye contact with me. At least being look out means I can keep and watchful eye on Goyle.

"Will you be okay?" Pansy asks as she leans on the tree next to me.

I lie and just nod. "Just get some sleep." My voice is shallow. She looks at me with worry in her eyes for a moment until she gives up and wraps her arms around herself, shutting her eyes.

The fire is starting to die down and I'm beginning to feel my arms prickle with goosebumps as chills shoot up and down my spine. Suddenly a quick, cool breeze flashes by and the tiny flame goes out. I sigh and I swear I can see the mist of my own breath as I breathe. It's freezing now, so I pull my sleeves over my hands and wrap my arms around me, rubbing my shoulders to keep warm. I look around at the others sleeping in the dirt and press my back against the tree, hugging my legs to my chest for warmth.

Nothing interesting has happened for a long time. I guess it wouldn't hurt to shut my eyes for a few minutes. Goyle will never know. I mean, I am exhausted and if Goyle wants me to lead him to Harry, I need to be rested. I take a breath and lean the back of my head against the trunk, shutting my eyes. My eye lids are like ten pound weights making them unable to open once they're closed.

I can feel my head shifting sideways, about to drift off to sleep when I hear a stick crack in the bushes nearby. My eyes shoot open. I stagger to grab one of Pansy's knives and jump to my feet, considering I don't have a weapon of my own.

A small gasp emanates a few feet in front of me as my intruder makes their way into the clearing and notices me. It's hard to make out who this person is, but with help from the moonlight I can kind of make out a familiar face. I quickly lower the knife, "Granger?"

"Draco!" She whispers in fear. "Please, don't kill me, I-"

"Relax, I won't hurt you." I say, tossing the knife by Pansy's feet.

"You… You won't?" She looks around at the sleeping Slytherins. "But… you're with them…"

I sigh, "I don't want to be…" Behind me I hear Goyle moan in his sleep and shift his position. "Hermione, you need to get out of here. If Goyle wakes up, and sees you here-"

"And leave you?"

"Yes…. I can take care of myself, just go."

"But-" Her words are cut off by the cannon. We both gasp and I see her head shoot up to the hovercraft behind me. I spin around to see who we lost, my heart thumping in my chest. It's Lavender. My shoulders drop in slight relief, but when I hear Blaise moan at the sound of the cannon, I turn back to Hermione. I'm about to say something, but my eyes trail down to her hand. It's coated in purple goo, like – wait… are those berries in her hand? I bring my eyes back up to her face and she has a look of regret in her eyes. I'm guessing she poisoned Lavender with those berries. She grabs my arm and tries to tug me towards her after the berries are secured in her jacket pocket. "You're not one of them, Draco. Come with me, we can help each other."

I swallow hard and turn my head down to look at Pansy, shaking my head slightly. I can't leave. He'll kill her if I do.

"I can't…" I say hoarsely. Hermione looks down at her before letting me go hesitantly. "I see… but… Goyle. Draco, He'll kill you."

I nod. "I know…"

Goyle groans again. "Hermione, go, please. I can't let you die here. You don't know what they'll do to you – what they're capable of."

Her eyes start to look glassy in the pale light. "Draco, I won't leave you. I know you're better than this."

I open my mouth to speak when I hear movement behind me. I gasp and turn my head. Goyle's getting up. This is bad – very bad.

I shoot my head back to Hermione in terror. "Hermione, go!"

"Malfoy?" Goyle says from behind me with sleep in his tone. I don't turn back around, but I can see the look of horror on Hermione's face and she doesn't move.

"Granger!" I yell and push her away from me, hopping she'd run. She staggers a bit and I can hear Goyle's feet thumping the ground as he gets closer… closer… It feels like the whole arena is shaking. Or that could just be me.

"Malfoy, what are you doing?!" Goyle growls from behind.

Hermione skids a bit in the dirt and takes off when Goyle gets closer.

"Find Harry! Tell him to hide!" I shout out after her. "Tell him he's-" My voice turns into a muffle when I feel Goyle's hand slap over my mouth from behind me. My heart lurches and I muffle loudly, practically screaming under his hand even though I know Hermione can't hear me anymore. He grabs the back of my head with his other hand and I have the sudden feeling he might break my neck, so I stop squirming. On the corner of my eye I see Pansy bolt to her feet.

"That was not smart, pretty boy." Goyle says in my ear. "What are we gonna do now?" He taunts, "That Mudblood will drive Potter away and we'll never get to kill him." He leans in closer to my ear and I whimper in pain as he yanks my head back, "Right in front of his cute little boy friend. Wouldn't you like to see that?"

I shut my eyes tight at the burning emotion behind them and yank my head away from him, only so he can pull it back. "Oh, what's this!?" He moves his hand off of the back of my head and whips off a small tear that escaped my eye. "You do love him!" I let out a soft whine into his hand, but it's hardly audible.

"Goyle, let him go!" Pansy yells.

"Or what? What will you do?" Pansy takes another step forward and Goyle moves his hand back to the back of my head. "Take one more step closer and I'll snap his neck." Pansy freezes.

"Good." Goyle says and finally lets me go. I dash away from him and Pansy pulls me close to her.

"What about Hermione?" Crabbe asks, getting up along with the others.

Goyle's giving me his evil stare and he suddenly smirks, "We find her in the morning. I got a little job for the famous, Dragon."

The next morning, I wake up with Goyle's ugly, cold eyes staring at me. Was he watching me the whole night? I blink a bit to get my eyes adjusted to the light and turn away from him. The anthem play again, which gets the other Slytherins to wake up.

Everyone starts to their feet, but I feel stiff. Sleeping on the hard ground, against a tree with a sore shoulder blade was probably not one of my greatest ideas.

"Need help?" Pansy says from above me. I look up at her and see her reach a hand out to me. A smile snakes onto my lips and I grab her hand. She carefully pulls me up and I grunt at the pain in my shoulder when my arms stretches.

"Draco?" She says with concern.

"I'm okay. Just slept crooked." I don't want to tell her about meeting Ron. Goyle might over hear; ask me where I met him and where he ran off to. Then he'd plan Ron's murder. I'm not watching anyone else die.

Pansy and I wait until everyone is finished packing their backpacks, but Goyle seems way too eager to kill and doesn't wait another second. He shoves me out of his way and takes lead of the team.

"Alright, that Mudblood went this way. When we get sight of her, Crabbe, Marcus, you two will grab her. Blaise and Pansy, make sure she doesn't try anything funny." He turns to me, and I jolt, "And you behave! Because if you try anything, Malfoy, I swear, I'll make you choke on your own blood."

I stay in the back of the group with Pansy to keep far away from Goyle, but he still turns his head every once in a while to make sure I'm still here. I feel like a prisoner in chains that just got captured. It's like they're leading me to be executed. I just hope Hermione made it far – far from us so Goyle could never find her. It's weird though… The only people I saw Goyle kill were those two Tributes at the blood bath. He had Blaise kill Luna, but why? Why couldn't he just kill her himself? Because he's a coward. He could have killed me – he had several moments in the past few hours where he could have killed me, but yet here I am – still breathing and still terrified of him. I'm not an idiot; I know he'll kill me eventually. In fact I think he's saving me for the finale. All I know is that my father must be embarrassed of me. His only son got picked for the Games and he's too weak and scared to kill or even win. It's not that I'm weak I just know it's wrong. I wonder what he thinks of me falling for Harry. This just occurs to me, and now that I think about it, I'd be dead anyway if I won. My father would never let me live for loving Harry.

I keep my head down the whole walk, watching sticks crack from under my boots. I smirk to myself. Dragon, yeah right, how can I live up to that title? Everyone thinks I'll do something great just because I have a "special" name. It's not special to me. I'm just another Tribute that will lose and soon be forgotten. Just like everyone else I'll just be part of another pile of bodies.

Suddenly my stomach starts to growl again and I remember how thirsty and hungry I am. I swallow and lick my dry lips with a groan. I've never been this thirsty before.

"Draco." Pansy says.

I turn to her, "Yeah?" I rasp. My throat is sore and sounds like sandpaper.

"Here, chew on these." She reaches in a side pocket of her back pack and pulls out a few small leaves. "They're just mint leaves. They're good. Try one." She holds them out to me in the palm of her hand, and I notice the snake ring I gave her is still coiled on her finger. I smile, feeling my cheeks flush up. I take a small leave, not sure if it's edible. Pansy laughs softly – I guess she can tell I'm uneasy.

"Don't worry they don't hurt you. I've been chewing on these for a while. I even found some roots."

I shrug and pop one in my mouth. The flavor actually makes me forget that I'm so hungry. Obviously this little leaf doesn't fill me up, but it's better than nothing, and it's not killing me.

"I have a whole bunch. You wanna take some?"

"Sure." I say.

She smiles in amusement and piles half of her leaves into a side pocket on my backpack.

"You wouldn't happen to have water, would you?" I ask.

She shakes her head sadly. "Sorry, Draco. I'm thirsty too. Maybe we'll find something soon."

I take another leaf out of my backpack and pop it in my mouth, "Maybe." I say.

"I also never properly thanked you for saving me. You know, when we found you…" She looks up at me gratefully, "So thank you, Dray."

"There's no way I would have let him kill you. Not now, not ever." I say softly, so Goyle won't hear. Then I notice the ring again. "You're actually wearing it." I say, taking Pansy's hand to examine it.

"Of course! My stylist had a little talk to Mad Eye and he said I can keep it on as long as it's not magical. Besides, you gave it to me. It means a lot…"

I smile weakly and let her hand go to hold my right arm, "Right… no magic…"

"Anyway, thank you, Draco." She twirls the ring on her finger with slight anxiety. "It makes me think everything will be okay." I smile sadly and look at her as if this will be the last time I'll ever be this close to her again. I take her hand, lacing my fingers around hers, and move closer, so that our arms are touching. "That's because it will be."

She smiles sadly and tries to hide her face. I notice a tear stain her cheek. "Draco… You're perfect." Her head leans on my shoulder and I can't help but smile. My hand tightens around hers, never wanting to let go.

Finally, Goyle stops short. I try to strain my head past Crabbe's broad shoulders to see what's going on. Blaise and Marcus smirk at each other and Goyle walks forward.

"Where you going, Mudblood?" Now I can see her. Hermione is standing just a few feet in front of us, backing up, away from Goyle as he inches closer.

"Grab her." Goyle says. Right away Crabbe and Marcus race after her. Hermione tries to run, but they already got her arms pined behind her back. It's just like what they did to Luna. Now _her _death is repeating in my head. I blink, trying to forget it.

Pansy and I pull apart and I can see Blaise playing around with his knife between his fingers, as if he's ready to toss it at someone's head like a dart to a bulls-eye.

"Goyle, stop!" I say running in between him and Granger. Stupid, I know, but I can't watch her die, not after she tried to save me. "Don't do this, just let her go."

"Oh, no, Malfoy. I'm not going to kill her." I blink and share a confused look with Pansy. I get sight of Blaise and he's smirking evilly. I look away, slightly hurt. I still can't believe he's doing this – I don't want to believe he betrayed me, but he did… he really did…

Finally, I look back at Goyle with bitterness and hated in my eyes. He holds his sword out to me. "You are."

I hear Pansy squeak in shock and slap her hands over her mouth. I jolt back, away from Goyle's blade. He can't really expect me to kill her, he knows I can't. "You're a coward, Goyle! You think you're so tough and smart, kill her yourself!" I say.

"Since when do you care about a Mudblood, Draco?" Blaise says. "You're the one that's always tried to put her in her place, now's your chance!"

I hear Hermione squirm in the leaves behind me, a soft noise of fear escapes her, almost like a whimper. I back up into her, like I'm protecting her, staring a Goyle's cold and evil gaze. "You can't make me-"

"I can make you do whatever I want, Malfoy." Goyle says, pointing his blade at my chest. "I know you're afraid of me…" No, I refuse to kill her. Maybe I don't particularly like Granger, but I would never take her life. Ever. I can't kill anybody, I'm not like that. And Goyle _can't_ make me do this… I'm stronger than him, I can't give in… I can't.

I back up again, so I can practically feel Hermione breathing heavily on my neck. I can hear a slight quiver in her breathing. I know she's scared – probably more than ever. It feels strange protecting her from Goyle, but I know it's the right thing to do. Looking up at this monster, I shake my head. "No…"

He smirks. "You're such a disappointment to your father, Malfoy. I hope he's watching this right now! He can finally see what a prat his son really is."

"Draco," Hermione says from behind me complete fear in her voice. I turn to her and Marcus and Crabbe hold her back as she squirms in their grasp, "just do it. It's bound to happen anyway."

I shake my head, looking at her horror-stricken face. I've never seen Hermione this horrified, but there's still that same Gryffindor boldness in her eyes like there's always been – since the day she got sorted. No, I can't do this, my whole body is trembling and I can't hold back my emotion anymore. I don't care if I cry, I'm not letting another person control me and push me into taking a life. I know what that feels like, and I can't take it anymore. "Hermione…" I say, my voice breaking.

"It's okay, Draco." She smiles at me weakly, tears running down her face. "You need to find Harry. I understand. He…. He wants to see you too."

I swallow hard and look at her with tears burning my eyes. "What…?" I rasp.

"Goyle, don't make him do this!" Pansy screams, making me snap my head back at Goyle. She dashes over to him and tries to wrestle the blade out of his hand. Goyle, being way bigger than she is, shoves her back so Pansy hits the ground. I feel like running over to her, but my legs don't move. I'm afraid if I do, he'll think I'm trying to escape or kill him. With that thought alone in his mind he'll kill Pansy.

He smirks at me and turns his sword down so that the hilt is facing me. "It's either you kill the Mudblood, or I kill your bitch."

I completely freeze, staring at the weapon in his hand. It's like every sound around me drowns out and all I can hear is my heart beating.

"I'm waiting, _Death Eater_." His voice is a deep taunting tone, which brings me back to reality; my watery eyes automatically shoot up at him as every sound around me snaps back into my ears. "Yeah, you heard me. You, _monster._" My heart lurches at the darkness and snarl in his tone. I could do it – I could take the hilt of that sword and push it into his chest, killing him right now. But I think he's keeping his guard up, just in case I feel like it. And even if I do, Marcus, Crabbe, and even Blaise won't let me go alive. I'll be dead either way – Pansy too.

"Draco." Hermione squeaks from behind me. The tone in her voice sounds like she's begging for death. It hurts to hear her sound so scared – in so much pain. I have to do this. If I don't end this myself, otherwise; they'll do a whole lot worse to her.

Hesitantly, my hand reaches for the hilt of Goyle's sword until my long, shaky fingers wrap around it. _Do it! You have the weapon now, kill him!_ I can't – I can't take the chance. I have to stay alive for Harry. When I find him, Goyle can do whatever he wants to me. As long as Harry stays alive and wins… I can care less what happens to me.

I turn my head to Hermione and watch as Marcus and Crabbe toss her to the ground like a criminal. She backs up into a tree, panicking as she stares up at me like… like I really am a monster.

"Draco," She says before shutting her eyes, "do it…"

"Yeah, do it, Malfoy." Goyle taunts from behind me. "You can finally see how filthy her blood actually is."

I can feel the sword shaking in my hand, and I clutch it tighter in my grasp to make it stop. Ever since I became a Death – one of them, I've always tried to avoid this road – killing. Now Goyle finally gets to show the world what my part in this role really is. A Pure Blood killing a Mudblood. This is what I'm meant to do. And if I don't I'm considered weak. Goyle is just trying to show me up – like he hasn't broken me already…

I freeze again and I hear Goyle sigh. "Give me that." I hear him growl impatiently. Turning my head over my shoulder, I see him snatch Blaise's knife. He grabs Pansy and holds the blade up to her throat. "You got 5 seconds or I kill her."

Pansy yelps in pain and grabs his arm to pull the knife away from her neck.

"1…" Goyle says with a rumble to his tone, yanking Pansy back harder and smirking evilly, "I'm not kidding, Malfoy….2…"

"Draco!" Pansy whimpers through tears, like she's calling me for help.

"3…"

I turn back to her Hermione, heart pounding, body shaking…

"4…"

I don't know what makes me move, but suddenly I thrust the sword forward into her stomach. The second the blade pierces her, Hermione tries to scream, but it's replaced by gasping and gagging sounds. Blood spews from her mouth like red confetti, causing some streaks to stain the sides of her mouth. I feel every breath drop out of me. It's like I can't stand, breathe or even move. I let the sword go, panting out of fear, and look down at her open, eyes – her tears replaced by blood. She still has that same look of help on her cold, pale face.

The cannon shoots off, announcing her death, and I just lose it. My eyes widen in horror as I stare at her bloody body and my legs can't even support me anymore. They shake in panic below me and lose their strength to hold me up, making my trembling body drop to my knees. Gripping the grass beneath my hands hard, my fingers dig into the Earth below. I don't even care about the bits of dirt that's probably getting wedged in my nails. I can't even blink. I'm just staring at the blood soaked ground as it stretches near my hands consuming the green grass in scarlet – almost like a fire. My breath is coming out in spurts. I feel like I'm suffocating.

I hear Goyle laughing behind me and I'm guessing he let Pansy go because on the corner of my eye I see him pull his sword out of Hermione's stomach. The tear of flesh makes my stomach turn. "Good job, Draco. I'm sure if Voldemort were here he'd be impressed with you after you failed him once before."

I pant and my heart picks up more speed. I'm angry, but overall I feel petrified. Jumping to my feet, my hand snatches onto Goyle's still blood soaked sword, gripping it tight, not caring if the blade is cutting the palm of my hand. I aim the tip to my chest, still holding onto the sword as if I can take it upon myself to steal my own life. All it takes is to just push the blade into me – right into my heart where it belongs. "Goyle, just kill me!" I'm practically screaming now. "Please, just kill me, right now, I can't take this anymore!" I beg him. I never wanted Goyle to see this side of me – the broken boy who just wants his old life back. But the life is gone. I'll never be that kid again. I'm better off dead anyway. There's no way I can make it through the rest of these Games. Not like this.

I can feel my hand gripping the blade tighter and the blood oozing through my fingers as it cuts my dirt and blood stained skin. I'm holding it so tight that the blade is shaking violently like a leave in a hurricane. Goyle looks at me in shock. "Please. Just kill me…" I plead in broken voice, looking at him desperately, tears running down my face.

Over his shoulder I can see Pansy crying with her hands over her mouth, like she wants to scream for me, but is muted by her own fear.

Finally Goyle grins and slices the blade away from me with my hand still gripped firmly around it, only cutting my skin more, mixing my blood with Hermione's. "Not yet, pretty boy. This is just getting interesting."

* * *

AN: Oh, God, Hermione I'm so sorry for this! I hope you guys don't hate me! The title kind of gives it away but, still - don't hate me. This is the Hunger Games so people are going to die... I love Hermione, though, I really do. Also don't take this as Draco/Hermione. It's not. Draco just doesn't want anyone to die, even though they have to. I must say though, this chapter was hard to write. Not hard in general, but hard because of the fact I had to kill Hermione off. Anyways, this chapter took me awhile to write, so I hope it's good! Those of you who are slightly confused about the berries, Hermione _did_ kill Lavender. Knowing Hermione she probably studied about what's safe to eat and what's not before the Games, so she probably knew what berries were poisonous. So she tricked her into eating the berries. I think I described it pretty clearly, but just if you're confused, that's what happened. I got the weekend free for the most part so keep an eye out for chapters. ;D Hope you enjoy!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – The Run Away

I have never felt this awful about something in my life. When I was forced to kill Dumbledore the whole time I was just afraid for my own life and afraid of dying – I knew I couldn't do it and failing at various attempts only made me sure of it. But I was also scared of being weak. I wanted to do something great so that maybe I would get some praise, especially from my father. What will Harry think when he sees her picture and name come up on that hovercraft tonight? He might think it was Goyle, but when he finds out it was me – he'll hate me with every bone in his body. I hate myself for it. The last thing I want is for Harry, above all people, to hate me. I got this far with him – so close to telling him the truth about how I really feel and now, just when I'm so close to getting the only thing I ever wanted, I lose him. Unless by some shred of luck I can get him to believe I was forced to take Hermione's life I might have a second chance with him. But after everything I've done to him and after everything we've been through, I think I'm out of chances.

I don't even know where Goyle is leading us now, but I'm lagging behind with Pansy, holding my cut up, bloody hand in pain. I can hardly move and keep it so stiff that it feels frozen and numb, like a block of ice that's soaked in red paint. The cuts under the blood are visible and from the looks of it, they seem pretty deep. I was only gripping onto the blade hard enough. I'm surprised I still have this hand.

"Draco…" Pansy says. I don't answer. "Don't listen to what he says. You're not a you-know-what…"

"I got the mark to prove it, don't I?" I say dully as I watch the blood on my hand drip through my fingers.

"And that's all it is, Draco – a mark. It doesn't mean anything – it doesn't change who you really are."

"But this mark was powered by one evil man, and now that he's gone this mark has led people like me into making up these Games. I hate them – all of them – including myself."

"Draco, you shouldn't say that… not on live TV. If the Death Eaters hear-"

"You think I care? Pansy, I'm as good as dead anyway. Nothing matters anymore."

She pauses for a moment and starts twirling the snake ring around her finger, "Not even me?"

I sigh, "You know I don't mean it like that. Look, Pansy, both us won't make it, you know that – you know that one of these nights you'll see my name on that hovercraft… One of those cannons will be for me and another for you."

"Stop it, Draco! Do you hear yourself? You can still win…"

I shake my head, "I don't want to win."

"But, Draco-"

"If I go home, nothing will change. Actually, no, everything will change. I'll go home knowing I lost both you and Harry to these Games, and every year, at every Reaping, and every battle, I'll just be reminded of it." She looks at me, like she actually understands, but there's still that pleading her eyes, begging me not to give up even though I want to. "No one does anything, but yet, every single parent can stand there in the crowd, watch their child get picked for slaughter and later get locked in an arena to fight to the death. Pansy, am I the only one who knows this is wrong and that it needs to be stopped?"

"You're probably the only Death Eater that does. Which is exactly why you're different." I look away from her. "Draco, just listen to me. Listen to someone who cares about you for once instead of listening to those who want to tear you down." She grabs my left arm, "I know what you went through in the past, but I'll probably never know how painful it was – how scared you were. And things like that can change a person forever." I can't do anything but listen to her, and it hurts to know how right she is. Pansy was, and probably will always be the only person in the world who understands me. I honestly don't know what I would do without her.

"But, getting to know you has made me learn a few amazing things about you." I keep staring down at my hand. She hugs my arm tighter, "Let's see. What are some of the best things about you? Well, you're smart! You're also sneaky…" I smirk at the slight humor in her voice. I know she's trying to cheer me up, but all I can think about is Harry. "Oh, like, remember that one time, we snuck into Umbidge's office fifth year and you turned all of her cat pictures into Snape ones!?" I laugh softly, "The school was going on about how Umbridge and Snape were a couple for _months_! That was the best!" I turn to her, still smiling a bit, "You would remember that one, wouldn't you?" She shoves me playfully, "One of the best times! I hope they're watching!" I shake my head with a smirk at how awkward Snape and Umbridge are right now, just listening to us fool around for a brief moment.

"Okay, and Buckbeak?" Pansy teases, "Draco." Automatically I laugh a bit louder, luckily Goyle doesn't hear, "I won't lie, but part of the whole 'broken arm' thing was just to get your attention." I say.

"Are you serious!?" She teases with a bit of shock to her voice.

"Yes. Actually, I think that might have been where my crush on you really started."

"So, you thought that, 'oh hey, let me piss this bird off, fake and injury so that maybe Pansy Parkinson would like me?'"

"Hey, I was thirteen. You gotta admit it was pretty smart; I got you to do all my homework for me for most of that term."

She laughs, "It's been almost five years since then and I'm just finding this out. You're hiding things from me now, Malfoy." We both laugh for a moment until I turn back to my hand, laughter fading, remembering where we are and what we're meant to be doing. I wish I could stay in the past forever since that's where all my best memories are.

"We had fun that year though…" She says. "I think doing all of your homework and spending more time with you made us closer. I'll admit, I think that's when I might have fallen for you too." She smiles sheepishly and blushes, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Then the Yule Ball…" I say, trying to keep our conversation going.

"And _after_ the Yule Ball." She shoulders me playfully, "I will _never_ forget that night."

"….I was drunk… I don't remember…" I tease. Her face, right away tells me she doesn't catch on and thinks I'm being serious. "Pansy, I'm kidding." I say with a laugh. "How can I ever forget that night?"

She laughs, "What else? Oh, you're cunning, funny! Let's see… sexy." I try not to laugh, "Now you're just bullshitting."

"No, I'm not kidding! Why do you think most of the Slytherin girls were always after you? I'll admit I got pretty jealous – very jealous – especially jealous when a few of them asked you to the Ball last minute when you didn't ask anyone."

"Yeah, then I asked you."

"Well, you took your blessed time!"

"Hey, I was… shy…"

"You _shy_?"

"Yes! I didn't think you would say yes, so I waited until, like, the very last minute."

"You thought that I wouldn't say yes to the most popular boy in Slytherin?"

I smirk and look away, turning red, "Oh, shut up."

Her laughter fades, "And most importantly, Draco," She hugs my arm closer and I look at her, still with a bit of humor on my face, "you've got a big heart. And just because you got that mark doesn't make it small." My expression fades to a more serious one as we get back to the topic at hand. "Draco… If you do win, I won't be around anymore-"

"Stop it, Pansy…" I say, feeling the emotion burning my eyes at the thought of losing her.

"But you need to remember one thing, because I won't be around to remind you and get it through your thick head all the time." I don't look at her but I'm listening. "You didn't make them change you, you stayed strong, and most importantly, you know who you are. You give people hope."

I stare at the blood flowing from my hand, soaking my jacket sleeve in crimson. "Well… I'm not sure I really do know who I am anymore." I feel a tear escape from the side of my eye, running a small drop of water down my cheekbone. "Damn it." I mutter.

She giggles softly and whips it away before I can lift my bloody hand to it, "When the time comes," She leans up and kisses me on the cheek where the tear just was, "you will."

Finally, after what seems like hours of walking, without finding any food or water, Goyle decides to stop for the night when he notices the sun sinking down. He's looking tired, just as worn down as the rest of us. As soon as he stops to set up camp, Marcus and Crabbe go out to get firewood and Goyle decides to go look around to find any water in the area. That leaves Pansy and me alone with Blaise. He's keeping a close eye on both of us, like he's Goyle's little guard dog.

Right now, my hand is in way too much pain, and I can care less at how much he's staring. The bleeding stopped for the most part, but a deep, long cut is stretched across my palm and even my fingers got some pretty serious cuts. I can see it all a lot better now that most of the blood has dripped off. It hurts, and I can't even coil my fingers or stretch them out. When I try I wince at the sharp pain it gives off, sending a surge of agony down my spine. To keep the pain at bay, I have no choice but to keep my hand as still as possible, stiffening it up like a sculpture.

With my good hand, I go inside my back pack and take out the small pack of medicine I found earlier. Only it's used for minor cuts and isn't that effective – as it reads on the small label atop the tin can. What the hell? These Games aren't a _minor_ thing; they could have at least given me something a bit stronger to ease the pain I'm in right now.

I sigh. Okay, whatever, it wouldn't hurt to use it anyway. Maybe it'll numb the pain for a little while and later – if I'm still alive, I can just apply it again. I mean, it is better than nothing.

I have a hard time getting the crap unscrewed, but I guess Pansy notices because she's nice enough to take the can of medicine from me, "Need help?"

"A bit."

She unscrews the cap and soaks her finger in the thick medicine. It's clear and kind of glassy looking. It also smells like rubber. "Give me your hand."

I do as she says, and as soon as she applies this stuff to my cuts, I grip the grass hard with my good hand, and wince at the pain. She grits her teeth. "Ow, I know, I know… God, Draco, this looks bad…"

I want to scream since pain is so bad. I feel her rub more of this crap on me and suddenly my hand feels like it's burning, so I pull it away from her. "Okay, that's enough!"

She goes in my backpack and pulls out the bandages. "This will keep the dirt away. If we find water, I would wash it so it doesn't get infected."

I nod and let her wrap my hand up. I watch her carefully as she rips a few strips for my fingers. Her hand gazes mine when she's finished with the bandages and our eyes finally meet. Her eyes are watering and she takes my face in her hands, "I love you, you know?" I rest my bandaged hand over hers. "Even though you don't love me; I just don't want you to ever forget how I feel… I'll die, still loving you."

I look into her eyes for a moment until I hear Blaise huff loudly and purposely – trying to get our attention. We both pull back, remembering we're being watched and I shift against a think tree when I see Goyle return and Marcus and Crabbe come back with their arms full of firewood.

Goyle doesn't have a trace of water with him, but his sword is dripping blood. I see a smirk on his face when our eyes meet. I know for fact he just killed someone because after Hermione died, he cleaned his sword of the blood. This, however; looks fairly new to me.

The cannon goes off once more, and soon after, the anthem begins to play, echoing throughout the whole arena. I take a breath to prepare myself for what I'll be reminded of.

At last, I see Hermione's picture present on the hovercraft within the night sky. My heart sinks and I shift against Pansy's side for comfort when Goyle's eyes rest on me. Then I see Cho's picture emanate the sky and can only assume Goyle killed her. I look at that black hearted monster with pure hated in my eyes.

"How'd you do it?" Crabbe asks him with admiration on his voice.

Goyle smirks wider, beaming with compliment. He sticks his sword in the ground as he sits down beside it, not caring about the blood that also stains his cargo pants as they brush against his blood soaked sword when he sits down. "Caught her from behind and stabbed her in the back." Goyle says. "Didn't want her to scream and get attention drawn to me."

"Right." I say. He looks at me with hostility. "Because you could never face a single person one on one, now, could you?" I sneer. "Goyle, for everyone's sake, including your own, grow a pair." I hear a gasp from Pansy.

"Excuse me?" Goyle says. Everyone turns to me and the anthem stops playing, as if fearing the tone in Goyle's voice, turning the forest dark again.

I look up at him, trying to so hard to be brave. "Did I stutter? Or was your tiny brain unable to process what I just said?"

Goyle starts to bolt to his feet, but Blaise holds him back just when he reaches for the hilt of his sword. "Let it go! We need him." Blaise says. Goyle glares me for the longest time, until he backs off, as if debating with himself whether or not he should kill me now or save my worthless soul for later. I just look at him, not turning away.

"The closer we get to killing Potter, the closer_ I_ get to slaying the Dragon." He pulls his sword out of the ground and positions himself to lie down in the dirt, keeping his hand wrapped securely around the hilt of his sword as if awaiting an attack. "Go to sleep, Draco's look out."

"I was look out last night." I protest and as soon as I say it I wish I could take it back.

"Oh, then we'll look out together." He keeps his eyes on me – right one me, like he's watching me like a hawk. I shift uncomfortably and turn my head away from his gaze, even though I can still feel his cold stare on me. Pansy shuts her eyes and leans against my shoulder. I know she's really awake, but I don't say anything.

It feels like hours, but finally the fire starts to die down and the other Slytherins are asleep. My heart starts hammering when I turn my head back, only to find Goyle _still_ staring at me. It's like he can't blink anymore.

Pansy is still awake, I know it. She rubs against my side with a moan and blinks her eyes open. "Can't sleep." She says to herself. "Oh, you're still awake." She says when she looks up at me. I just play along with her act and nod. "Yep…"

"Well, then if we both can't sleep…" She eyes Goyle suspiciously, before shifting against me more. She smirks as she gets up to sit on my lap so that her legs are on the sides of my hips. I blink and look up at her, knowing what game she's playing at and feel her hand slide up my chest, playfully, under the zipper of my jacket. I smirk up at her, grab the back of her head with my good hand, pull her down to me and kiss her. Her fingers run through my hair. I can feel her twirling around the white blond locks playfully between her fingers. Her body presses against mine, and I can feel both our hearts racing rapidity with the same amount of anxiety when our chests press together.

Suddenly, my leg jerks in shock, making the heal of my boot stretch the dirt ground when I feel her hand move down lower, below my waist to my belt. Over her shoulder I see Goyle's eyes drooping and he _finally _turns over.

"Is he still looking?" Pansy whispers into my lips.

I shake my head. She pulls back slowly. "Good. I won't lie, that wasn't only for distraction."

I smirk, "I could tell."

Her expression changes more seriously and her voice drops down to a very soft whisper, "Now, listen to me, Draco… you need to get out of here…"

My eyes widen. "What? And leave you? No!"

Her soft hand grazes the side of my face. She seems so calm. I feel like she was planning this. "Draco-"

I grab her hand into mine, "He'll kill you! I won't leave you here with him." My eyes water at the thought, "I can't…" I hold her hand tighter and her forehead presses to mine so that our lips are nearly brushing each other. "You'll always have my heart, Draco… always. But there's someone out here who needs you more… Go get him…"

"Pansy…" I say, trying to hold my tears back. So this is it? I just leave her here and never see her again? The only time I will see her again is when her picture is on the hover craft at night. I can't let her go… not now – no – not ever.

"I love you, Draco." She gets off of me and kisses my lips lightly. "Now, go, please. Before he wakes up…"

I look at her, seeing the pain in her eyes. I know letting me go is killing her just as much as it's killing me. "I'll come back for you… I promise, I'll come back for you – and we can win this thing together – we'll find a way, just please, stay alive for me."

She nods, knowing I might not make it back to see her in time, or that she'll even live to see my face again, but agrees to it anyway. "Remember what I said: you can't be broken, Draco. You're strong – show them you're strong."

"Stop, this isn't good-bye yet. You can come with me – just come with me – I can protect you." I hate begging, but if this is what it takes to keep her alive I'm willing to beg.

She shakes her head, "I'm not meant to live, Dray." She says in a small voice, trying to hide her pain, but I know Pansy all too well. I turn away, shutting my eyes tight. I can't lose her. How will I keep going knowing I left her here with Goyle and his slaves?

I grab the ring on her finger. "I'm always with you. It's not good-bye."

Tears are streaming down her face and she moves her hand over to the left side of her chest – to her heart, "Always with me." She sniffles and her voice comes out in chock, "Be careful out there, Draco." She kisses me once more. "Because I'm always with you too."

She backs off, but it takes me awhile to get to my feet and I can't take my eyes off of her. I know I'll probably never see her live face again and it… it actually feels like I'm being stabbed in the chest – it hurts. Part of me still loves her, probably more then she thinks. It's hard for me to let her go like this. I knew it would happen, and I've tried to prepare myself for it, but now that it's actually happening… I feel like I can't keep myself under control.

"I love you…" I whisper. She smiles warmly, but the pain is still there. Even though I might not mean it one hundred percent, I want her to know I'll always have feelings for her – I'll always love her even if the love I have for her isn't as strong as the love I have for Harry. It's still there, though. Believe me, it's still there.

Finally, I stand up and let my legs take me away from here. I watch her as I leave, and I can see her watching me. She's holding onto that ring, like it means more to her then her own life.

Finally the distance blocks her from my view and the fire flickers out, engulfing her into darkness behind me. I feel the urge to turn back and run into her arms, hold her forever, and never ever let her go, but I can't… I have to do this… Harry needs me, and I need him.

But I need Pansy now more than ever.

I've been walking almost all night. My legs are shaky and I'm feeling weak without a single bite of food or even a drop of water to keep me going. I honestly don't know how I'm still standing. I've seen and done a lot in these past few days and I'm surprised I even know how to walk.

I'm still upset about leaving Pansy and my tears keep blocking my vision. "Stop it." I tell myself as I whip them away. I know it's stupid to travel at night, but I need to get as far away from Goyle as possible, so I won't stop until I'm sure there's enough distance between him and me.

Even my hand is starting to act up in pain again and I think that's part of what's holding me back. I can't see straight, even without the tears. This pain is becoming unbearable.

I need to stop; I can't keep pushing myself like this. Rest, I need rest. I can try climbing a tree again if my hand can withstand it.

I look around for the fullest one and slowly make my way up the trunk. My shoulder is feeling better, but now, it's a bit harder to grip onto branches since my hand is starting to bleed through the bandages. I dig my toe into a pit in the trunk and grab onto a thick tree branch to hoist myself up. It's tricky to do this and my hand is screaming for me to stop. The medicine underneath the bandages is beginning to burn the cuts on my hand and fingers, preventing me from going much further. Finally when I I'm high up enough, and surrounded by trees and leaves I rest on a thick and wide branch, holding my hand in agony. I want to take the medicine out from my backpack, but it hurts too much to move my hand. Maybe the bandage is starting to irritate it…

Carefully, I unravel the bandages and try so hard not to scream as I feel the material pulling the cuts since the blood that remained is starting to crust the medicine together sticking the bandage to my skin like cement. Both of my hands are shaking ferociously and I open my mouth to yell but no sound comes out. Finally, I decide to rip the bandage off like a band aid. Bad idea. I do that and feel the strongest urge to scream. I throw my head back in pain as blood starts to gush from my cuts. My hand is pulsating rapidly like a tiny bird's heartbeat. Gritting my teeth together in agony, the only sound I can manage is grunt of pure torture.

I still need to take the bandages off that are wrapped around my fingers, but I don't know if I'll be able to. I take breath and unravel them, slowly. The ones on my fingers don't hurt as much as the ones on my palm, but they hurt enough to make me yelp softly from the back of my throat.

Gently, I try to dab away the extra blood with the bandage, but the cuts are way too sensitive to even touch. I give up and keep my bloody hand on my lap, limply. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight. I rest my head against the trunk and shut my eyes. I'll need something to hold me in place so I don't fall out of this tree. The rope in my back pack or even my belt would work, but doing that with one hand won't be that effective and I may fall out just by trying. I can't risk it.

I'm about to doze off when I hear a soft screech, like an owl – and Eagle Owl. My eyes blink open and I look around to see if I'm going crazy. Sure enough there's an owl soaring right towards me. I got a sponsor? Usually sponsors send tributes owls when they need something. I guess someone saw that I'm desperate for food, water, medicine – anything.

The owl soars past me and drops the item into my lap. It's a small container with a note taped on the top. My good hand goes to the note and I clumsily unfold it open.

"_Apply gently and stay alive._

_P.S – Umbridge and I aren't a couple!_

_-Snape"_

A smile snakes onto my lips and I move my hand to open the container. In it there's a kind of clear, pinkish goo. It has absolutely no smell but when I apply it to my hand there's no pain – no sting – no nothing. It soothes it right from the touch and I sigh, pressing the back of my head to the tree in relief, letting my chest rise and fall with a deep sigh of satisfaction. "Thank you, Snape." I say to the sky.

* * *

AN: Two chapters in one night?! I am impressed with myself, my friends!

I'm sorry if the cute little Draco/Pansy scene was unnecessary. I just wanted them to have a sort of brief moment where they flash back to the past and reminisce. Because this is where Pansy and Draco part ways and it sort of goes down hill for her from here. I just wanted their last moments together to be kind of be like an uplifting scene after all this crazy crap they've been going through. So I hope that scene was okay. I also hope you guys are seeing Pansy in a different light now. Becasue in the books/movies we don't get enough of her. I feel like most of the Slytherins are so mistunderstood and they need more elaboration.

Well... no more chapters tonight, however; 15 will be up tomorrow. I also go a new follower, YAY! Thank you GoldSnitch212! And of course thank you to the rest of my lovely followers and viewers. You guys are the best! I was also listening to _"Run This Town by Jay-Z, Rihanna E.S. Posthumus (Remix)"_ If I could make a trailer for this story I would use that song. I still have that sexyness on repeat. Oh goodness, I'm going to stop talking now. Good-night my dears! Hope you enjoy!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – The Boy Who Lived

I wake up the sound of the anthem playing overhead, signaling the Tributes to pick up where we left off. I blink my eyes open slowly so that I can adjust to the light before looking down at my hand with a tired moan. While I was sleeping, I kept it facing palm up on my lap so that the medicine wouldn't rub off. When I look to see how well it healed there's almost nothing here. It slightly hurts and I can't stretch my hand out all the way yet, but for the most part the wounds closed into scars that look like they might eventually fade away over time. I smile in relief. Now I need food and water. It'd be nice if Snape sent me some water – I need that right now more than food, but why hasn't he? Maybe it's because he knows I can find it on my own or that I'm getting close. Either way, I don't think I can last much longer if I don't find any soon.

After I secure the medicine in my backpack, and wrap my hand in more bandages, I start to make my way down the tree, with much more ease then last night, only I can't ignore the weak shaky feeling in my legs from lack of energy.

My stomach is growling and I feel like it's echoing the whole arena. I wrap my arms around my waist to keep it quiet, groaning softly in aggravation. Harry where are you? He can't be too far, but I feel like all I've been doing is going in circles. Harry won't kill, I know that (aside from the Hufflepuff he saved me from at the blood bath). So maybe he's hiding. But where? If I can't find water I don't think I'd be able to find him.

Getting aggravated I reach into the side pocket of my backpack and munch on the leaves Pansy gave me hoping they'll satisfy my hungry at least slightly. Only, now, I'm instantly reminded of her and start to wonder what lie she's making up to cover up my absence. God, I hope she's okay. What if Goyle found out somehow that I escaped or that Pansy helped me get away? He'd murder her. All I can hope for is that she found some way to get away from him.

I also haven't seen Ron in a while. I wonder if he's suspicious of Hermione's death. He, above all people is aware of our history and the rivalry between Mudbloods and Pure bloods. He probably thinks or knows I killed her – but whether or not he wants to believe I was forced to do it is his decision. I can't let him find me. I don't trust him and I _know _he doesn't trust me.

It feels like hours now, and I'm still walking. "Harry…" I rasp. My voice sounds like I haven't used it in days. I want to yell his name, but I can't risk it – I'll only give myself away. I swallow hard, feeling how dry my throat is. "Water…" I look up to the sky with utter defeat in my eyes. "Snape…" I hope he can see me. I stand here and I wait for him to send me something – anything, but nothing happens. Sighing, I suddenly feel my heart leap in my chest at the sound of rustling in the nearby bushes of the clearing. My head pricks up in alarm, and I instinctively run behind a nearby tree for cover. I still don't own a weapon so my only option is to hide. I watch the bush carefully until a small rabbit hops out from it. I breathe in relief. Oh, good, it's just a rabbit… a _rabbit!_ Food. Where there's an animal there's water – that rabbit needs to drink too right? There's no way I can kill it without a weapon and I don't think my legs are strong enough to chase it. Besides even if I did, running will only tire me out even more. I need to save whatever energy I have left.

I drop my shoulders in disappointment and let the poor thing go. "Better hide if you see me again." I say as it hops away. I must be getting close to water – maybe that's why Snape won't send me any. I can just hear him, _"Don't be lazy, Malfoy, you're getting close. You want something this badly, work for it." _Yeah, okay, Snape. He scolds me more than my own stupid father does.

I step out from behind the tree and continue my search, only to freeze when my boot lands in something wet and sticky. I hesitate, but eventually look down with caution, afraid of what I might find beneath me. I'm standing in a small puddle of…_Blood?_

There's a trail here. My heart sinks to my stomach. "Harry?" I whisper aloud, as I kneel down to examine it closer. Carefully, I follow the droplets of blood, so I don't lose sight of it. I find a few tuffs of brown fur on some broken branches nearby. It's definitely fur because for one thing it's brown – not black, and it's thicker and shorter then Harry's hair. Plus there's a lot of this stuff scattered around the clearing, like some kind of animal – something big was shedding. Ahead of me I see something that makes my heart sink even further. Harry's jacket. It's on the ground, near a thick tree root that lumps from the ground, not too far from me. My breath hitches with fear as I bolt over to grab it. I know it's his because it's a bit too small to be Ron's. On the back, the Gryffindor symbol has three ribbon scratches that tear right through the material – like thick claw marks. This thing is pretty much soaked in blood – Harry's blood. He's hurt and from the looking of it he's hurt pretty badly. I swallow hard and hold the Jacket to my chest as my eyes scan the clearing hopping I'd see him somewhere.

Fur, broken branches, blood, scratches… Harry what were you fighting?

Anxiety is building up within me by the second and I can't hold it in anymore. "Harry?!" I say aloud, keeping the jacket close to me. He could be dying – I don't care who hears me.

I run out of the clearing, with whatever strength I have, and suddenly hear something that sounds like a trickle of a fountain. My face brightens slightly when I find a long river running past me. _Water! _And next to me, about a few yards away, a giant boulder. The water doesn't even matter to me right now. "Harry…" I know he's here somewhere – he must be. If he's hurt he won't be able to get too far from here anyway, and he'd be needing a place to rest. I should look around.

I take a step forward, only to stop short when I hear a loud crack behind me. The sound is way too loud for it to be a stick. It sounds like a giant tree branch has just been snapped in two. Then I hear growling. My eyes widen and my back pins up straight in alarm and fear. Something big is behind me, but I'm too terrified to turn around and face it. I can feel heavy, warm breathing over my shoulder and it sends a shiver down my spine. Hesitantly, I back up into something thick and furry. I freeze, feeling my chest and shoulders rise and fall quickly with the beat of my rapid heartbeat.

I swallow hard, feeling my throat tighten with nervousness. I'm reluctant to turn my head, but I'm too afraid to do anything otherwise. I'm beginning to feel my body tremble and hear my breathing coming out in hitches. Finally, I turn my head with caution. Behind me must be what Harry was trying to fight off. _A giant bear_ – not like a normal sized bear, this thing is so tall and wide that it can almost tower over the trees like a skyscraper.

I jump back in horror at this monster and hit the ground, unable to keep my footing. There's no way I can fight this thing off. It's probably about 100 feet taller than me and I have no weapon. It comes towards me with its massive paw raised high, opening it wide jaws. Its teeth are like razors. Lolling its pink tongue back, a loud roar to emanates from its throat, spewing drool and saliva off the corners of its lips. This thing looks about ready to gut me open. I back up and roll out the way when it brings its paw down. It bellows in pain when it fails to hit me, instead smacking the hard, rocky ground I was just on. I jump to my feet to run and that's when I notice this bear has one eye missing. It also has a few bald spots and ruffled fur. If this is what Harry was fighting – which I'm pretty sure it was – he managed to hurt it at least. But then if this bear is hanging around here then there's no doubt: Harry _must_ some somewhere close.

My brief thoughts are cut off when this creature takes a step towards me; its humongous hind paw digging into the dirt, drool dribbling from the sides of its curled back lips, staring at me hungrily. The bear opens its huge jaws to roar again, but just as I'm about to run a spear flies through the center of the bear's head, cutting off its battle cry. I freeze in horror, and back up in panic at the tree behind me, pressing my back against it so hard, like I might go through it.

The bear's arms drop to its sides and its body falls at my feet, blood gushing from its mouth and head. I stare down at its huge face as its dead; black eyes glare up at me – like it's still alive and might jump up from its frozen position if I make any sudden movements.

"Took you long enough." A familiar voice says. Even still, I flinch and look up to see Harry walking over to pull his spear out of the bear's head.

"Harry…" I breathe, winded, still full of shock.

The bear's head is so big it goes up to Harry's waist and when he pulls out his spear only more blood oozes out with some brain guts mixed in. I turn away from the gore and watch as he sticks the spear into the ground beside his foot. The animal's body suddenly begins to emanate black smoke on various spots of its pelt. Soon the smoke consumes it and the bear's corpse evaporates into nothing by black mist, leaving its pile of blood behind in a puddle

"I thought you would never-" I don't even let Harry finish and run into his arms, hugging the life out of him.

"Harry, I was worried sick about you! Goyle used me to track you down and – you're jacket… I thought the worst…"

He hugs me back tightly, "Hey, I'm okay. I'm still alive. It's gonna take more than a few _mutts_ to kill me."

I pull back and look into his perfect green eyes. "Harry, what if I didn't find you-"

"I'm The Boy Who Lived, remember?" He says boldly, despite his slight hunched posture.

"Let's make sure it stays that way." I say. I hand him his jacket I still have clutched in my hand, "You might want this back." I say, eyeing his white shirt, "Just so you're not seen more easily without it."

He shakes his head and turns around, so his back is facing me. My heart lurches at what I'm seeing. The scratches on his jacket match the ones on his back: three ribbon claw scratches that cut through his shirt. They're deep and bloody, like he recently got them.

"Harry." I say tightly, holding up my bandaged hand to touch him, but I pull back, thinking I might hurt him unintentionally.

"Bad, isn't it?" He says, trying to hide his worry, but I can tell he'd scared. He turns back to face me, "It hurts like hell. You wouldn't happen to know how to fix cuts like this, would you?"

"Well, it needs to be cleaned first." I say thoughtfully, "I'm not a doctor, Harry, but I can try."

He smiles gratefully at me and notices my hand. His eyes change to concern as he takes it in his own hand to examine it a bit more closely, "What happened to you?"

"Goyle." I can't tell him about Hermione. Not yet, "He… cut me. I got some medicine from Snape, though and it feels slightly better. I can probably use it on your back – it helped me."

Partial worry leaves his face but he still looks nervous as he brings his green eyes up to face my gray ones. "You look more pale than usual. Come on, you need water."

I follow him to the river nearby and sigh with relief.

"Where were you all this time?" I ask him as I hold my water bottle under the water, waiting for it to fill.

He points over to the big boulder in the distance, "Over there. I heard that mutt attack you so I ran over."

I take my bottle out from the river once it's filled and take a few sips, even though I want to chug the thing, I know I'll only make myself sick. I haven't drunk anything in days and having too much water at once will just come back up a few minutes later.

He watches me in amusement and I finally swallow. "Hungry?" He asks me. My eyes blink in shock and I almost choke. "You have food?"

He laughs, "Yeah. Just a little bit though."

"I don't care. I'm starving!" I follow him as he gets to his feet, immediately getting some of my strength back.

I still can't get over that I found him. As soon as I saw his jacket I thought the worst. Then he saved my ass again. Maybe he's right – maybe it does take more to kill him. I know that from experience. I've only seen him grow up for almost eight years. Everything about him is perfect. He's still the same, yet he changed so much.

"How long were you with Goyle?" Harry asks me as he sits down under the huge rock. I'm a bit nervous to get under this thing, thinking it might roll on top of me. Even still, I sit next to him, just happy to have him back with me even if it's only for a little while.

"About two days." I say as he hands me a piece of bread from his back pack. I don't ask, but I'm guessing a sponsor must have sent him something.

"Wow." He says in shock, "How did you manage to _live_?"

"I got out just in time. Actually, Pansy let me go."

"Really? Huh…" He says before leaning back against the boulder.

I chew slowly, almost forgetting I haven't eaten in a while. "You sound socked?" I say, once I swallow.

"A bit. To be honest, I never thought she would let you go. She just sort of seemed… hooked onto you. It's almost like the Games changed her."

"What? She hasn't turned traitor." I say cautiously, not knowing if Harry means this in a different way. I know he doesn't really like Pansy and Pansy doesn't really like him, so I'm not sure if he's is trying to put her down in his own little polite way. I know he wouldn't do that, because he's Harry. I just want to be sure before I make any assumptions.

"No, I mean – well, you know how people say the Games change everyone for the bad?" I nod. "For Pansy it seems to be the other way around. At first I just assumed she never really knew what she wanted or what she was fighting for. In the end she picked survival for others above survival for herself. So in my metaphorical mind, she changed for the better."

I smirk as I realize he's right. He's always right. "Yeah." I say, "I guess so."

"She seems like a pretty good friend, Draco. I mean to you, at least."

I nod. "The best." I sigh, "I hope she's okay."

"Well, it's not over yet. She can still win."

I nod, just to humor him, "Right." I still don't know how to tell him that I want _him_ to win, or a plan on how we can make this happen. I'm guessing the Games will come down to either Harry and Goyle or the three of us. If that happens, I have to die – or at least hold Goyle off and weaken him so that Harry has a better chance of surviving. Either way, I know I'll end up dying. Besides, there can't be two victors.

Suddenly I remember Harry's back, "Still need that medicine?" I ask him, placing the bread down.

He slowly sits back up, away from the boulder like he's in pain, but doesn't say so. I can see the tightness in jaw. He's trying to look strong, but I know he's holding back the urge to admit that he's in pain. "Yeah." He says weakly.

I pull my backpack off of my back and dig through to find the medicine I got from Snape. When I take it out, I eye Harry nervously and suddenly realize something. "Uhm…"

"What?" He asks, in the cutest and stupidest way, blinking his green eyes at me questionably.

I point to his dirty and bloody white T-shirt. "That'll need to come off."

He shrugs, "Okay." He says, like it's nothing. I swallow hard as I watch him. I fight the urge to help him since he grunts in pain as he tries to pull it over his scratched up back.

I sigh, "Hold on." I say, reaching over to help him. "Stay still." I carefully pull his shirt over his bloody cuts, but the blood is beginning to dry, making the fabric stick to his skin. He grunts with pain I jolt back in worry, freezing in panic, thinking I hurt him, "Easy, it's okay." I try to sound calm for his benefit.

"It doesn't feel okay." He winces, "Ow."

Finally I get the shirt over his head so I can have a better look at the cuts. They're deep, very deep. If this doesn't get fixed professionally, it could definitely get infected. You wouldn't need a doctor to see that.

"H-How does it look?" He asks nervously.

"Want me to sugar coat it?" I say with a hint of sarcasm in my tone.

"No. Be honest."

"Okay. Bad. It's too bloody, Harry, it needs to be cleaned first. Plus there's some dirt wedged in here." I say as I pick a bit of dirt out of the blood.

He nods, "Okay. Can you do that?"

I roll my eyes, "Well, I'm going to have to, Potter. Get up."

"Back to your old self I see." He says as he gets to his feet slowly, using the boulder to support him.

I try not to stare at his tan and muscular torso and get to my feet as well. I bit my lower lip and turn away to pick up Harry's shirt so I can use it to wash his cuts. Now, with the medicine and shirt in hand, I follow him slowly to the river, staying close to his side just in case he loses balance. He's trying to act like he's not in pain, but I can tell he's suffering.

Carefully, he sits down by the river and I lean down to soak his shirt and squeeze out the extra water. "Okay. This may sting." I say as I unroll to the thing like a towel.

He slowly turns his bloody back to me and I try to fight back the worry at how bad these cuts look. I really don't want to hurt him, but I know I will unintentionally.

"Okay." I breathe, trying to make him brace himself. Gently I press the wet shirt to the three ribbon scratches and he grunts in pain. I grit my teeth, trying not to pull away as I see him hurting. Being as careful as possible, I rub the shirt against the cuts to whip off some blood and I hear him yelp. "Ow, I know, I know. I'm sorry, Harry."

"Don't worry." He breathes. "I'm fine."

I soak the shirt up again, but this time I squeeze less of the water out so it can clean better. He feels stiff when I go to touch him again and I feel my heart beat faster, feeling his muscles tighten under my hands. "Almost done, Harry, hang in there."

The cuts are looking better, now without all his blood in the way, and once I clean the wounds, Harry's nerves seem to calm down slightly. I watch at his shoulder blades loosen under his skin, and even though he can't see me behind him, I still turn away when my face flushes up. Finally I move the shirt to clean in between the scratches to get rid of some extra blood. When that's finally done, I feel like I can breathe in relief. If I didn't get here in time, this would have gotten infected. I try not to think about how bad it would have been if that were the case.

Now, I try to dry my wet hands against my cargo pants and reach for the medicine container when they're dry enough.

"How does that feel for so far?" I say as I take the cap of the medicine off and use my non bandaged hand to get a lot of pinkish stuff on it, so that medicine can cover up most of his cuts.

He sighs, "A bit better. What are you doing now?" He says as he tries to turn his head over his shoulder to see what I'm about to do.

"Medicine."

"Does it hurt?"

"It shouldn't. But just be prepared if it does."

He nods and turns back around. Gently, and slowly, I rub the stuff to the first scratch. At first he stiffens and winces in pain, but quickly resigns, assuming it'll hurt at first but doesn't. I'm guessing it starts to feel better.

His skin is warm and soft under my touch and I smirk slightly at the feel. His muscles are tight with anxiety and to be honest, if these scratches turn into scars, I wouldn't mind it. Scars are hot… besides, this is the first time I've ever gotten _this_ close to him and I like it.

Once that cut is finished, I soak my head in more medicine to work on the second one. He seems a lot more relaxed and doesn't tense up as much. "Almost done. How are you feeling?"

"Better." He says with a sigh. I smile lightly when his shoulders drop with ease. "What is that stuff? It's like I can't feel much of anything."

"I don't know, but it helped my hand. Snape sent it to me, so I'm guessing it was expensive."

"Do you get that many sponsors?"

Maybe keeping a conversation would be better this way because I can't stop staring at his perfect, sexy, tan, muscular back, thinking about how good his skin would feel against my own. I need a distraction.

"Not many. Just one." I say, trying to concentrate on the medicine and not how soft he is. I can feel my face getting hot. _Stop it!_

"Do you?" I ask, trying to keep the conversation going.

"I got one, also. Remember that bread I gave you? Someone sent that and a whole bunch of other stuff. I still got a lot left. I'm trying to salvage anything I can."

"Oh, Good." I say, "Because I can't hunt."

He's not laughing out loud, but by the slight quiver of his shoulders, I can tell he is inaudibly, "I'd love to see you last a week in the Muggle world. Do you think it's hard to not use magic?"

I swallow hard and feel my heart lurch. Right away I shift my right arm against my leg. "It's just different. I'm not use to it." I try to sound convincing.

"It's not too bad."

"Right. You grew up with Muggles." I say and finally pull my hand away from his back, "You're done!"

"Awesome. How's it look?"

I blink and stare down at his skin again, "Perfect…" I mutter, almost mesmerized.

"What?"

"What?" I say a bit startled, "Oh, I said, it looks better."

"Great!" He starts to stand up, this time with much more ease then before. I rinse my hand off quickly, just to get the extra medicine off before screwing the cap back on. "We'll leave your shirt to dry overnight."

"So… I can't wear anything?" He asks.

Secretly, I wish he wouldn't. "Well, nights are usually freezing. If you want, I have a bunch of bandages. Once they're on you can use your jacket." I'd give him my shirt, but… I can't take my jacket off. I grip my right arm as I think about it.

"Okay." He says and we walk back to the boulder.

I use a combination of the bandages Harry has in his back pack and the rest of mine. Since I'm just realizing that I'm running low, but Harry has yet to even use his.

I carefully wrap them around his chest and torso so that they will stay in place and keep the scratches safe. Finally, he puts his jacket back on and zips it up. The bandages show a bit through the claw marks on the Gryffindor patch, but Harry looks much better than he did when I first saw him.

"Better?" I ask with a slight smile.

"Much. Thanks! You're good at this healing stuff."

"Nah, not much. Pansy's pretty good at it and I kind of picked up some pointers third year when she took care of my arm." I look away shyly, only to have his finger grab my chin gently, tilting my head back up. "Draco. Thank you. You saved me." I can see the respect and softness in his eyes.

I smile weakly, "And you saved me." We start to lean in, but something pulls me back, like I can't bear to look at him. I don't know why I'm so ashamed and nervous to kiss him or tell him that I love him, but… I just am… I'm worried, but I think it's because I'm scared of my father. No, I _know_ I'm scared of him. He'll disown me if I get closer to Harry. We already got close enough and I'm feeling things for him I shouldn't be feeling. This isn't right… is it?

"So, uhm," I say, seeing the disappointment in his green eyes. "What did you call that bear before?"

"The bear?" I can hear the dismay in his tone. Something in me tells me to just grab him and kiss him, wrap my arms around his body and never let go. But I fight that urge even though it's tearing me apart. "It's a mutt – muttation. They're just animals that have been engineered by the Capitol. The Game Keepers throw them in to make the Games harder."

I swallow hard at the thought, "Will there… be more of them?" I hope not. Those things are huge, if there are any more of them – especially a _pack_ that'll only be impossible to escape from.

"I dunno. I've only meet the one I killed before. They're could be more but," – he shrugs – "I'm not sure."

"Right." I say. Suddenly I jump at the sound of the cannon. "Pansy!" I whisper, staring up at the bright sky like the sun will sink below the arena, darkening the sky into night to announce the fallen Tribute. Only that doesn't happen. All I can do is stare like it will.

It better not be her. Please… please don't make it be her.

* * *

AN: Chapter 15! So we get Harry back, finally and find out what kind of mutts there are. I'm pretty sure I got the whole mutt thing right. I wanted to use bears instead of dogs just to make it harder and different. Anyway, I hope you like it. Hopefully in 16 we'll find out who the fallen Tribute is. Enjoy!


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Broken Allayment

"Draco?" Harry says with concern in his voice. I can't help but stare in the distance, thinking about who could have just died. It would only make sense for it to be Pansy considering what happened last night. She could have only covered for me for so long until Goyle might have gotten suspicious. I want to run and find the body, but the hovercraft probably picked it up by now, and going back the way I came just to find a dead body isn't very smart. I might run into Goyle, plus Harry won't let me go alone and will probably follow me. I can't put his life at risk for my own stupidity. It's going to kill me inside, but I'll just have to wait a few more hours until night fall to see who the fallen Tribute is.

"Draco!" Harry says more loudly. I blink and turn him blankly. His eyes are full of worry, and he's leaning in like he was just about to shake me out of my thoughts. "You okay? You looked panicked."

I nod, trying to get Pansy out of my mind, but it's almost impossible. "I'm fine…" I say emotionlessly, swallowing hard and looking away from him.

"You think it's her, don't you?"

I nod.

"Well, then… why did you come looking for me if she means that much to you?" He asks me, but something in his tone sounds hurt, like he thinks I choose Pansy over him and the thought of that alone upsets him. My head shoots up, but before I say anything harsh I stop myself and sigh, "Because…" _Now – tell him now._ I might not ever get another chance like this again.

"Because…?" He echoes, waiting for an explanation, tilting his head slightly.

I look away, only for him to tilt my head back up. "You've been trying to tell me something ever since this whole thing started…" I don't answer him, but my eyes shift away.

"Draco." He says. "Talk to me. What's wrong?" His voice is reassuring and full of concern, but I'm still afraid of what he might think.

I pause and swallow nervously, "Every feeling I have for you." I answer softly. This seems to shock him in a way and he pulls back.

"What do you mean?"

I look down at my bandaged hand only because I'm too afraid to look into his eyes, "Harry…" _Just tell him! _My heart is starting to pound in my chest and I shift against the boulder uncomfortably.

"You mean more to me than anything." I start, "And I know it's wrong to feel like this toward you…"

"Draco-"

I don't let him finish. "I know you probably can't stand me now. You want the honest truth?" I take a shaky sounding breath and finally pick my head up to face him. "I love you. And all this time, I've been too terrified to admit it."

He doesn't answer, but instead, he just blinks at me with shock. By now, I feel like I've completely ruined everything and look away again, not being able to bear the astonishment in his eyes. But suddenly, I see his hand over mine. It's dry and soft against my skin – he seems a lot calmer than I am right now. Bracing myself, I pick my head up to meet his gaze again. He has a somewhat nervous but adorable smile on his face and his eyes have softened to comfort. "You don't have to be afraid." He says, a bit raspy sounding as he whispers. His tone sends a chill up my spine.

"But… isn't it wrong? Harry, we're meant to hate each other-" I can hear the hurt and fear in my voice.

"And you think that should stop us?" I look at him nervously, waiting for him to continue. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for you to say those three words, Draco." My hurt jumps and my breath hitches softly with it. I shake my head and look back down until I feel his hand on the side of my face. My gray eyes meet his green ones and he pulls me in closer, brushing some dirt off of my cheek bone with his thumb. "I love you, Draco. And whatever happens, you're not alone. We'll figure this out together."

I look at him with worry, "How?" I breathe against his mouth, inching in closer until our foreheads are touching.

"We'll just have to find out." He whispers. I feel his warm breath against my skin as his lips brush against mine. His hand slides down to the side of my neck and finally, we're locked together in a kiss that I've been _dying _for.

Shutting my eyes, I lace my fingers into his black hair, and press him closer, hiss him more passionately. The only sound I can hear is the sound of my heart hammering in my chest. I know for a fact that the cameras are on us now, and I try to put my father's reaction to this out of my mind.

Harry moves his hands to my shoulders and presses me against the boulder behind me. I shift slightly from under him and grip onto the collar of his jacket, not wanting to stop. I don't even think kissing Pansy ever felt this good – this feels right – too right.

"You know you're perfect, right?" He pants softly as he pulls away, still breathing against my lips.

I look into his green eyes and smile weakly, "I don't know about that." I touch the side of his face. "I never realized how pretty your eyes are. I'm not use to seeing you without glasses."

He laughs softly as he presses closer, making our lips brush together as lightly as a feather. The feel of him being even remotely this close to make just gives me the strong urge to kiss him again. "Neither am I." He whispers against me.

"Contacts?" I ask.

"Unfortunately. Since I'm pretty much blind without them."

I smirk lightly and move my hand to his forehead, gently brushing his jet black bangs out of the way to get a look at his lightning scar. "It doesn't hurt anymore?" I say as I gently touch it as if he might yell in pain if I'm not careful. He shakes his head, "Hasn't been bugging me since he died."

I pull my hand away and lean back to the boulder so there's more space between us, "Not even when you're with me?"

"What?" He looks at me with confusion. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"I'm a Death Eater... slave of Voldemort? Even though he's dead, Death Eaters are still around…"

"But _he's_ not here – that connection isn't here anymore."

"So, basically, when he was alive and whenever you were around me, you're scar would hurt?"

"Not too bad. Where is this coming from, Draco?" I break eye contact. For some reason, I feel like he's in pain right now with just the sight of me, but won't tell me.

I clutch my left arm to my chest, as if I'm trying to cover it up more, like too much exposure of this mark can kill him. I pull away from him, thinking his scar is burning like fire – the more distance there is between us the better. So, all this time, I've been hurting him? I just wish this mark would disappear. But to my surprise, he smiles lightly and grabs my wrist, making me jump a bit. I blink and look up at him.

"I don't feel anything…" He says. "You don't need to be scared."

I swallow hard, "But I am scared… aren't you?"

He lets me go and looks down. I don't bother to press the question anymore.

The arena is beginning to get dark with night fall and I can't help but stare up at the sky, feeling the anticipation building as the exposure of the fallen Tribute gets closer and closer. Harry splits the last piece of bread he has for the both of us. I try to salvage it, but I'm so hungry that I finish my half before he does. "I've never seen you eat so fast…" He says with a slight laugh, "Actually, I never see you eat."

I laugh nervously, feeling my face flush up, "I'm starving. At least these Games are good way to lose weight."

"Only you have no weight to lose." He says. I smile in amusement only to have our brief little moment ruined by the sound of the anthem overhead. Okay, finally. Now, I can see who died earlier. Both Harry and I stare up at the hovercraft in unison. I wonder if he's worried about Ron…

Heart in my mouth and breathing picking up speed I stare up at the sky impatiently.

Finally I see the Tribute's picture and part of me relaxes when I see it's not Pansy. But the other part of me only fills up with more worry and horror when it turns out to Crabbe. This can only mean Goyle broke the allayment. I know Pansy is in trouble, but hopefully she got away and she's managing on her own. I haven't heard the cannon in a while which is both a good thing and bad thing. It's bad because every time I hear the cannon, I'll think it's Pansy. But it's good because Goyle has more people against him now and has a better chance of losing. With him out of the way it would be easier to help Harry win. But Crabbe – he was my friend once and now, part of me feels hurt and upset just thinking that I'll never see him again. Finally his picture disappears with a flicker and the sky goes back to its ominous black.

"Well, good thing it's not Pansy." Harry says. "But, Crabbe… I'm sorry, Draco…"

"I'm not." I say with a bit of hurt to my tone, but to be honest, I just don't want to talk about it. I'm still hungry, so I take a peek in Harry's back pack while he's drinking from his water bottle, "We're completely out of food."

"We'll hunt tomorrow." Harry says.

"But… I'm still without a weapon. Do you know how to hunt? I can just pick stuff."

"Sure. Just stay away from berries. Look for any edible leaves, roots… stuff like that."

"Okay…" I say tiredly. "How's your back?"

"A bit sore, but nothing like it was."

I smile lightly. "Good." The anthem finally stops playing and I shift against the boulder to get more comfortable. "We should get some sleep."

Harry nods and uses his back pack as a pillow when he lays down, back facing me. I stay awake and I guess he can tell I'm not going to sleep because he turns his head over his shoulder to look at me, suspicion in his green, tired eyes. "You need rest too, Draco."

I shake my head. "I just… need time to think for a bit. Get some rest, don't worry about me."

He looks at me for a moment and I try to look convincing, "Really, Harry… I'm okay…" He looks worried, but eventually gives up and turns back over, shifting lightly against the rock beneath him to get comfortable. I watch him before pressing the back of my head to the boulder, looking out to forest before me, just thinking about Pansy, Goyle… Blaise. I shift uncomfortably at the thought of him. I still can't believe he turned bad – he said he never would – he promised me. Back at the parade he told me we'd always be friends. Now, he's closer to Goyle than me. Part of me wants to hate to his guts, but I know I can't do that. I could never hate him even though I want to. Goyle, however; he's easy to despise.

"_Or maybe you'll meet your true friends in Slytherin."_ The Sorting Hat said… Bullshit, all my "true friends" stabbed me in the back and twisted the knife into the bone. Except for Pansy. She's the only one who's ever stayed loyal to me, even now, when things got so bad, and I'm worried sick about her.

I'd die for her, but I can't let her die for me. Letting her go last night was probably the hardest thing for me to do and I'm still not over it. I'm just sitting here wondering where she is, how she's doing, if she's hurt, if she's dying, or even if she's looking for me… I want her to be okay, but I know she never will be. Not being there to protect her really does hurt.

Sighing softly, I hear a soft painful squeak escape from Harry. I look down at him and he's shivering in his sleep. I don't recall him having any more nightmares of Voldemort, but the Games could also be doing this to him. His legs twitch, making his boots scrape the rock beneath him, like he's trying to fight something in his head or run away. I look down at him with worry in my eyes and gently run my fingers through his hair, pushing some of his bangs out of his shut eyes. He moans in his sleep and shifts uncomfortably. "It's okay, Harry." I whisper. "Nothing will hurt you."

Suddenly he starts mumbling something, but I can't make it out. "Draco…" He says more clearly. I blink.

Me? He's dreaming about me? I can't help but smile lightly. "I'm right here." I say calmly, trying to ease the nightmare. "I'm not going anywhere." I lean down near his ear. "I love you." I whisper and kiss his cheek. He seems to calm down a bit and I pull my hand back, leaning against the boulder again. But I don't take my eyes off of him.

Now, I'm starting to feel exhausted. I haven't actually slept a full night, and I should probably catch up on some rest.

I get up quietly and move over in front of Harry so I can lay down with him. I use my own back pack as a pillow and press my forehead to his once we're face to face. Smiling lightly, I shut my eyes. But suddenly I feel something warm against my left hand that makes my eyes blink back open.

Harry's hand is right on top of mine, clutching onto it for dear life, as if I might hurry up and leave him for good. I stay close to him and finally shut my eyes, longing for some sleep.

I must have turned over in my sleep because when I open my eyes Harry isn't next to me anymore. Lazily, I turn over to where I was when I first fell asleep and stretch my arm out to the spot where he should be, only to have the palm of my hand meet nothing but hard, cold rock. My long fingers search for his body, but still, nothing. My heart jumps with worry making my eyes shoot open. I bolt upright to look for him. "Harry!?" No response. I look around frantically but don't see him anywhere. But just as I'm about to jump to my feet I begin to hear the faint sound of footsteps padding the grassy floor near the boulder. I turn my head in panic and see him walking over towards me with a dead rabbit struck to his spear. He stops shirt, I guess seeing the agitation on my face. "Whoa, calm down! Sorry, I just went hunting." He says defensively. I get to my feet and shove him against the boulder, digging my fingers into his shoulders.

"You scared me half to death! Why would you just leave without telling me!?"

He blinks and looks panicked. "I'm sorry!"

I grab him, and pull him into a hug, gripping the back of his jacket. I can feel my heart thumping against his chest. "Don't ever disappear like that again – ever!"

He hesitates but eventually wraps his arms around me. His shoulders shake faintly as his hot breath brushes against my ear and neck with soft laughter, "You're cute when you're mad." He says in a somewhat of a husky tone that makes me shiver with slight pleaser.

I roll my eyes and pull pack, eyeing the dead animal on his spear. "I thought we weren't going hunting until later?"

"Thought I'd get a jump on it while everyone was asleep. Sorry… I just didn't want to run into Goyle."

"I can make a fire." I say. "It's day time, so no one will see."

"Keep it light." Harry says. "It can still throw off smoke and people will see_ and_ smell that."

I roll my eyes again, "Know-it-all." I mutter as I go off to look for firewood. "And wait until I'm gone before you start gutting and skinning that thing."

Harry smirks and eyes the rabbit, "Just don't look!" He shouts after me. I wave my hand in the air, too lazy to answer. I keep walking until I'm out of sight from him to pick up some sticks for our fire. Suddenly, I stop in the middle of the clearing when I hear a soft screech, like the one I heard when I got my medicine from Snape. Looking around for the owl, I finally spot it. It's got something clutched in its talons, but I can't make it out until the bird flies closer. My heart lurches. Someone sent me an axe.

The owl drops it by my foot and flies off, disappearing somewhere behind me. I lean down to pick up the weapon, and notice that it's the same one I used to kill the snake at the parade. There's a note attached to it like there was to the last one. Only this isn't from Snape.

"_Keep on fighting, Dragon. I'm proud of you._

_-Juniper"_

I smile and stuff the note in my jacket pocket, pick up my firewood and make my way back to Harry.

"Hey, you're back." Harry says. He's still skinning the rabbit, but I try not to look since this kind of stuff sickens me.

I place the firewood on the ground and hold up my axe, throwing it in the air so it does a full rotation before the hilt lands perfectly in my palm. "Look! I finally got a weapon."

"About time! Who sent it to you?"

"My stylist…"

"Wow. Usually stylist never sent tributes anything."

I shrug, "She's different." I say, smiling down at the axe. I miss Juniper… and Sasha too. At least they gave me a little stroke of hope for these Games. What I wouldn't give to see them again. I don't usually like people when I meet them at first, but Juniper was very different. She just had that vibe.

"So, do you know how to start a fire?" Harry says, breaking me from my thoughts.

My eyes shift questionably. "I hope you're not taking this Dragon thing literally."

"No." He says with a laugh.

"Good." I sit down beside him and watch as he slides the skinned and gutted rabbit onto his spear. I swallow down my vomit and turn away, trying to set up the fire, which isn't easy for me. I hate doing things the Muggle way. Harry laughs softly at my failed attempt and puts his spear down before taking some sticks in his hands. "I'll do it." He says with a smirk. I lean back, a bit embarrassed. "Sorry…" I say as I watch him rub the sticks together. "I'm gonna go see if your shirt's dry." I almost completely forgot I left it out to dry overnight.

I stand up and go back over to the river, where I left his shirt stretched out to dry on a nearby rock. Picking up the ripped thing in my hand, it feels rather dry so I bring it back over to Harry, and by now he already has a small flame going. "Well… that was fast." I say in slight astonishment. I hand him his shirt back. "It's all done."

"Oh, good! This jacket is starting to feel strange without anything under it, anyway."

"Do you still want to keep the bandages on?"

He nods. "Only because I'm still sore and I don't want it to get infected again."

He hands me his spear so I can hold the raw rabbit over the fire to cook, while he puts his shirt back on. Only, again, I'm distracted by him. He turns his back to me, and I watch as he gently strips off his jacket, as if the quickest movement would hurt his back. I blink, unable to take my eyes off of him. Even the way his shoulder blades move under his tan skin is perfect. I swallow the hard knot in my throat, wiling to just reach my hand out to touch him. It's like the whole world has stopped spinning, pausing this particular moment for me, so that I can take every last bit of him in sight. And although the bandages cover up most of his bear back, I still think he looks amazing. Then I blink my eyes away when he pulls his shirt over his head, covering his perfect body from sight.

"Whoa!" He says in shock when he turns back around, looking down at the fire. "Draco…"

"Whaa – oh!" I look down at the spear and the rabbit's head caught fire. I really wasn't paying any attention to what I should have been doing. I hold the dead animal up by Harry's weapon so that it's out of the flame. "Well, at least the head is cooked." I hold the spear out to him as it to take the animal, but not actually intending him to. "Like brains?" He laughs inaudibly in amusement, "Very funny." It's only a tiny flame since our fire wasn't too big to begin with. A quick blow of air puts it out and I continue turning it over the fire.

"So far the morning's quiet…" Harry says as he watches the rabbit cook, leaning back on his elbows.

"Mm-mmm. For now." I say dully.

I hear Harry take a soft breath. He looks concerned. Like he can see the fear on my face. "Draco… he won't find us…" I know he can tell I'm thinking about Goyle. Harry was always good with reading emotions, and It's sometimes hard for me to hide mine.

"He will eventually." I say. "He's evil and ruthless – the Games will end up with him being one of the last."

He's quiet again, probably not knowing what to say since he knows this is true. All I can hear is the clicking of the fire during this awkward silence. "We'll figure something out." He says at last.

I sigh and watch the rabbit cook as I turn it over above the fire. "We can't both win, Harry – there can't be two winners and they have to have their victor."

"Well, not always. Do they _have_ to have their victor? What if they didn't?"

"What if they didn't?" I echo, looking up at him.

He shakes his head, "Never mind. It's a dumb thought."

"Well… either way, we can't let Goyle win."

"So then the Games will just come down to the two of us!? I'd never kill you, Draco. I slit my own throat instead."

"And I'd never kill you!"

"So than…. what if we both died?"

I shake my head and look down at the fire. "No. They won't let us get away with that."

"Draco, I can't kill you – I can't really kill anybody-"

"You killed Voldemort…" I say to the fire, not able to look at him right now. For some reason I feel… mad? I don't know why though. I think it might be the guilt of taking Hermione's life. Harry still doesn't know and all this talk about killing people just makes me feel more like a killer then what this mark stands for.

"….That was different…" He says with a hurt tone, shifting uncomfortably. "_He_ killed everyone I ever cared about. Draco, you don't know what that feels like. And now these Games took Hermione away from me too."

I feel my heart sink to my stomach and for a second I can't breathe. My breath hitches and I look up at him with hurt in my eyes as if he's accusing me of her death even though he doesn't know it yet.

_No, Harry, I killed her_. I want to tell him so bad – just to be honest. But I can't bring myself to do it. If he ever finds out it was me – I'm terrified of the outcome. And he's right, maybe I don't know what sever loss feels like, but I've experienced other types of pain aside from loss. I never realized how similar Harry and I are until now – we've always been the same.

I wonder if he'll ever believe that Goyle forced me to kill Hermione. Harry knows I would never kill anyone intentionally – he saw me – he knew I couldn't kill Dumbledore on that Astronomy Tower.

Even when I met Harry looking for Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem in the Room of Requirement a year later, I, _especially_, couldn't bring myself to kill Harry then. Even though He was standing right in front of me that night, unarmed, I still couldn't pull myself though, whether or not I knew the spell. Because even then I was in love with him, and seeing him in front of me that night – seeing the fear in his eyes, even though he's as brave as lion, just broke my heart… I just couldn't. Being under presser with the thought of taking your lovers life is enough to make you go mad. I had my wand pointed at him and I even remember Goyle whispering in my ear for me to kill Harry that night, but I didn't. Being forced to murder, knowing you, yourself, or others around you can die if you don't… that feeling is scary. Goyle likes the rush and the thrill of seeing people suffer – he likes their blood and death stained on his hands. But once you take someone's life that stays with you forever. It scars you in different ways. Maybe not physically, but mentally. Sometimes people may look okay one the outside – like nothing is bothering them – but on the inside there's a broken boy wanting some escape from his life. Yeah, maybe at first it seems like no big deal, but once you're faced with that moment and the opportunity of killing someone is staring you in the face you just lose it – you lose your humanity, and that in itself is more terrifying then dying.

But killing a Mudblood… that's the worst thing I could have ever done… and I'll never forgive myself for it.

* * *

AN: So here's 16! This may be the last chapter for the weekend. I don't think I'll get to uploading 17 tonight, but I'll edit part of it and hopefully get it up tomorrow if my last class let's me out early enough - plus I gotta drive my ass home in the dark (Yes, I have school tomorrow dispite the holiday). College... ain't it fun?

Well, anyway, I spent a great deal of time editing this chapter and after I edited it I only skimed it to be sure it was all okay. It seems pretty good to me, but I'll leave that for you to decide. Also, listening to Linkin Park's new album while writing this story is pretty amazing. I love that band so much. OH, by the way! The next chapter may both shock you make you gross sob... It made me cry at least and I'm the one who wrote it. Only I know how this story will end my dears ;D. It's pretty intense so brace yourselves. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 – Friends into Enemies

The arena gets dark a bit too quickly today and I feel like almost nothing interesting is happening. If people don't start fighting or dying soon, the Game Keepers will throw something horrid in to bring us all together. They usually do that when the number of Tributes only gets to about two or three, but since almost nothing is happening now, they might bring us together early. Although, I'm not sure what's going on with Goyle. He might be planning something and awaiting the right time to act. I know I over think things, I just don't want to overlook anything he does like it's not a big deal, because when it comes to him it _is_ a big deal. I want to stay as far away from him as possible, but I know that's not how it'll work out in the end.

I sigh and press my back to the boulder behind me, trying not to think ahead, but I can't help it. Harry just left to refill our water supply and all I can do is watch him like a hawk as he leaves the boulder, like something might jump him from behind if I dare to turn my eyes away. Even though he's only a few yards away, I need to keep him safe, and make sure nothing or no body hurts him. The only time I do get a brief moment of relief is when he begins to make his way back to me unharmed.

"Bored?" Harrys handing me my bottle. I sigh and shift against the boulder, taking my water bottle from him for a drink. "No, I like it this way."

"Me too. But enjoy this while you can." He sits next to me and looks up at the sky as the dark blue turns to black. "It's getting dark. Get some rest, I'll stay look out tonight."

I blink and swallow as I place the bottle down, "You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. You look like death – get some sleep."

I feel guilty letting him stay awake. Maybe that's because I've been staying look out ever since the Games started and I just feel useless having someone else take over. Or maybe it's because I can't stand to leave him unguarded. If I'm sleeping, how will I know if he dies? When I'm this tired, it's usually hard to wake me up while I'm asleep. Even the sound of the cannon won't be enough to shake me awake. Besides, I haven't actually gotten a good night's rest since the beginning of the Games and I'm drop dead exhausted. Even though it's almost impossible to get a good night's sleep when you know you're being watched 24/7.

I know Harry won't let me win if I argue against this so I give in. Only when I lie down I put my back towards him and secretly keep my eyes open, locking them onto the dark forest around me. Even though I'm exhausted, Harry's life matters more to me than sleep.

Just for safety, I keep my hand wrapped around the handle of my axe, because God-for-bid, Harry falls asleep and something unfortunate happens, we'll both die, and I need to keep my guard up. I know Goyle is looking for the both of us and if he's smart enough he can just follow the river. That might not happen since he's dumb as a brick, but there is a close chance. It's also really quiet now. I mean not the comfortable quiet; it's the kind of quiet when you're anticipating something to happen. That's how I feel right now. At any given moment I feel like the whole forest will erupt with fighting and death. With that thought in mind, there's no way I can sleep.

Lying here, I think of another thing: I'm wondering if things would be different if this particular group of people didn't get picked for these Games. It's strange… what would the odds be of Harry and me getting together if we weren't chosen? Or even Goyle; would he still hate my guts with a fiery burning passion if we weren't in this situation together? And Pansy – if anything, I think I would have picked her over Harry if he weren't here with me, only because he never talked to me this much until now. And if we were all never picked, Blaise and I could have still been friends. Thinking back at what he told me before we got put into this arena, makes me a feel a slight pang of nausea. He said nothing would change between us – we'd still be friends no matter what. He lied. He lied right to my face and I fell for it. Maybe that's exactly what he wanted. Do I miss him? _Yes._ Am I hurt by what he's doing? _Definitely._ But do I want to kill him? Never. I would never even think about hurting Blaise. Like Crabbe, Marcus and even Goyle, he was my friend before all this. But unlike them I thought Blaise would always stay loyal to me. Turns out I was wrong. And even though I know I should hate his guts and kill him for what he did – I won't.

It's not his fault for this – Goyle and the Games changed him – he didn't choose this path. But maybe he could have fought against it. After all the weakest at heart are the easiest to turn. Maybe that's why I'm still alive – maybe I didn't really change. Even still, I feel slightly different now compared to the day my name was picked from that bowl.

It's getting later in the night, and I think Harry might have fallen asleep next to me. Glancing over my shoulder cautiously, so he doesn't still see that I'm still awake, I check to see if he's sleeping. And he is… his head is cocked sideways and his breathing is shallow. I can't help but smile at how peaceful he looks – like nothing is bothering him for a change. No nightmares… it's good to see he's not suffering in his sleep at least.

I'm about to turn my head back over when I hear a snap in the shadow of trees nearby. Quickly I snatch my axe and sit up, slowly getting to my feet as if the slightly sound I make will arouse whoever is nearby to attack me. I don't dare say a word to Harry and cautiously walk forward. The noises have stopped, and when they do, I keep my position still as a statue, straining my ears to hear even the softest sound possible. Just when I think my ears are playing ticks on me, I hear more rustling and snapping in the woods, but it's far too dark to tell where they're coming from.

I gasp softly and slowly move forward, trying to separate the crunching noises of the grass under my own feet to the rustling under someone else's as I make my way farther and farther away from Harry. I still turn my head at the boulder occasionally just to make sure he's still there.

But even though I try not to get confused, I'm too startled to know which noises are coming from where. I shift around, trying to keep my eyes concentrated on every little thing I can see, turning my head to get a view of everything despite how dark it is. But I can't tell who's watching me. Maybe it is all in my head, but knowing Goyle's allayment broke, I'm more scared now than ever.

I keep walking until I get deeper into the clearing. Harry is pretty much out of sight now, blocked by the overabundance of trees. I almost feel sick with worry that I'm leaving him alone, but it's too late to turn back now. I want to run back to him but maybe running isn't such a good idea. If I run, whoever is spying on me can just jump me from wherever they're hiding, killing me instantly. I'm completely vulnerable now without Harry in sight and I curl my fingers more tightly around the hilt of my axe with a mix of anxiety and fear.

Suddenly, I hear a snap very close to me and I spin around, axe raised, but there's nothing there. It's too dark and I can hardly see anything. I freeze in the spot I'm in, turning my head in all directions, gripping my axe tightly, beginning to feel my palms sweating against the hilt.

Swallowing the knot in my throat, I try to calm my heart rate. I'm not sure what's going on, but finally, the noises stop with a sudden halt. I wait a few more seconds until I'm certain the intruder left. Cautiously, I lower my axe, and take a step forward to make my way back to Harry, hearing the soft crunch of leaves under my boots.

Then I freeze. The noises pick up again, but this time it sounds like someone is running. I barely have time to turn around because something or someone slams my body into the ground, making my axe fly out of my hand, out of sight, and I have no idea where it landed. My head hits something hard, a rock probably. I yell in pain and I try to shake off the sudden headache and dizziness so I can make it out of this fight alive. I still have no idea who my attacker is, for all I know it could be Goyle and I'm desperately trying to get away at the thought.

I try to fight this person off but he's trying to pin me to the ground – grabbing my wrists tightly to get me to stop moving. Still, I try to fight him off, but I can't get away even though I'm trying. "Stay still!" A familiar voice growls above me.

I freeze in shock. "Blaise?" I whisper in horror. This is Blaise. No, this can't be happening. I have to get away somehow – I can't kill him.

"It's me Draco. I missed you." He says tightly with a slightly evil but amused tone.

He tries to grab my arms to keep them down, but my legs are free. I use one of them to kick him in the ribs, which seems to loosen him up just enough so I can worm away from under him. I crawl backwards, frantically looking around for my axe until I spot it a few feet behind me. I turn over on my hands and knees to grab it, and just when I'm close enough, I reach a hand out to grab the hilt. But Blaise holds me by the leg and slides me back, making me fail to grab my weapon, causing fingers to graze against the handle. Sliding towards him on my stomach, I dig my fingers into the dirt trying to pull myself away from him.

I hear Blaise snicker and feel him grab onto the back of my jacket. I manage to kick him in the neck with my foot and he coughs in pain. "HARRY!" I scream, hoping he can hear me, "HARRY! HELP ME!"

_Wake up. Just wake up – don't let him kill me_. I know I shouldn't yell, Goyle or Marcus might hear, but I can run away from them, easily. I just need to get rid of Blaise for now.

"HAR-" My voice turns into a yelp when Blaise pulls my head back by my hair. I use every bit of strength to get on my back so I can push him off better, since I feel too vulnerable lying on my stomach. Bad idea. It's like he knew my next move because as soon I manage to get on my back, Blaise takes this into account and automatically pins me down by digging his knees into my wrists, digging them painfully into the dirt. My legs are pretty much free, but I can't kick him off since he's practically sitting on my chest. All I can do is dig the heels of my boots into the ground until they're scrapping up the dirt.

I'm still squirming from under him, even though it's pointless. When did he get so strong? I really can't move!

"Oh, this'll be fun." He taunts, watching me struggle.

I try to scream out Harry's name again, but I'm stopped by Blaise's knife behind held up to my neck. I suddenly stop moving, breathing heavily. I try to catch my breath, but I can't stop panicking. "Now, just calm down. I'll make this nice and slow."

I look up at him, terrified, "You lied to me, Blaise!" I yell, "You said you wouldn't change – you lied!"

"You actually believed me!?" He laughs, "Oh, Draco, you really are adorable."

He uses a free hand to caress my hair gently and I yank my head away, "Don't touch me!" I growl, only to grunt in pain when I feel his fingers tighten around my hair. He bashes the back of my head against the ground and I just feel like screaming as my current headache only gets worse. I groan in pain, suddenly seeing the green leaved branches of the trees spinning above me.

"Tonight is not a good night to press me, Draco." He says, pressing the knife to my neck harder so that I feel a little blood leak out from a small cut he must have made. I try to yank my head back more to draw distance from the blade.

"Blaise, don't do this…." I say desperately. "This isn't you, you know it's not! You're not a killer."

"You don't know anything about me!" He says, gripping my hair tighter. My arms twitch in pain from under his knees.

"N-No!" I say immediately, trying not to make him even angrier with me. "Maybe not, but I know I felt the same way as you once!" He loosens up slightly, like what I just said kind of shocked him.

"You feel great now, right? You feel powerful. That if you kill me, you'll gain so much from it. I felt like this too once, Blaise, but trust me, once you take my life, you'll hate yourself for it. Then you'll know that you were never a born killer…" He's still quiet, "And I know you felt guilty the day you killed Luna."

His face goes back to rage when he realizes that I witnessed him kill her making me regret saying that, immediately.

"The Sorting Hat should have put you in goody-two-shoes Gryffindor! So what are you saying, pretty boy? Are you calling me weak?"

"No! I'm saying you're better than this…"

He looks at me, like he actually understands.

"You can hate me all you want – you can even kill me right now – it wouldn't matter. Because what you said at the parade doesn't change anything between us. Even if I die by your hand tonight, we'll still be friends. Even if I die and you win."

He's still quiet. "So, if anything kill me. Just promise me you'll let Harry go. That's all I want."

"Why should I take advice from a filthy little pure blood Death Eater? Have you forgotten that it was you who killed Hermione Granger?!" He snarls, immediately getting the anger back in his eyes. "Not me. Not Goyle. Not Marcus," He presses the blade harder against me, "_You! _You filthy little snake! And if you dare think you're anything greater you're not! You deserve to die, Draco. You deserve everything I'm about to do to you right now." I have never heard him sound so nasty. There's so much feeling in his voice – not even a hint of regret. Not even sorrow. And I'm hurt. It feels like I just lost a brother. Blaise is gone… he's really gone… I've lost my best friend and I'm never getting him back.

I shake my head up at him, with hurt and shock in my eyes. I never thought I would hear him say anything like this to me. When I first became a Death Eater he stuck by me. He and Pansy were the only ones who knew what I was. Now, he's throwing it in my face like I'm some sort of monster. There's evil in his eyes, now, longing to kill me. Now he's finally got that chance. I'm not fighting him anymore. "Blaise…" It's all I can say. Just his name.

"Now. I'm going to kill you." He says with a smirk.

I loosen up my body, not caring anymore. "You already have…"

He pulls back slightly, shocked, letting his guard down.

I yank my arms away from under his legs and slid out from under him, finally able to push him back with my feet before he can even bring his knife down on me.

I reach for my axe and hear him coming up from behind me. My first instinct tells me he's about to stab me from behind, so I try to use the hilt of my axe to push his blade away, unaware about the way I'm swinging the thing since I'm so panicked.

Only my weapon doesn't hit his knife when I spin around, but gets wedge in the center of his face, spewing blood onto my skin.

Blaise freezes as if in shock, blood gushing from his mouth and from the huge gash in his face where my axe is caught in. My whole body feels numb and I fall backwards, backing into a tree, getting as far away from this blood bath as possible. I watch in horror as my former best friend's, dead body hits the hard cold ground.

I hear his skull crush as the axe bends against the earth when he lands, making the gash in his head wider, almost pulling half of his face apart. A huge, haunting shadow of blood forms around his dead body. I'm petrified with fear and horror and I can't blink, or even breathe.

Finally, the cannon shoots off to announce his death, and I cover my mouth with my hands to keep myself from screaming. I can feel my gray eyes burn with hot tears and the water just falls down my pale face, blurring my vision as I still look at him.

"Draco!" I hear my name echo in the distance, but I'm too shocked to react, and I can't take my watery eyes off of Blaise. He's not dead – he can't be dead. This didn't just happen…

"Draco! Answer me!" I'm still unable to take my hands away from my mouth. I'm afraid that if I do, I'll scream in panic.

The puddle of blood around his body is starting to turn into a river and make its way to my feet. I still can't move and I shut my eyes, bringing my forehead down to my knees.

"Draco!" Harry's voice is getting closer and I can now hear his footsteps rustling in the leaves and grass nearby.

"Draco…" He must see me now since he sounds like he's right next to me. He says nothing and all I feel is him pull me into his arms.

I'm quivering against his body and I tightly grip onto his white shirt, crying into his chest.

"It was an accident." I manage to say.

"Yes, it was. It wasn't your fault." He says calmly, even though he wasn't here to see the entire fight, I know he's just trying to reassure me.

"I heard the cannon." He says. I can hear his voice breaking and feel his arms tighten around my shaky body, "I thought…"

I say nothing. But I secretly wish that cannon fire was for me.

* * *

AN: *Casually leaves this here and awkwardly walks away.*


	18. Chapter 18

Warning: Gore. And lost of it.

* * *

Chapter 18 – Reunited

Harry and I start to get up to go back to the boulder just when the hovercraft enters above us to pick up Blaise's body. I still can't look, not even to watch him leave – I feel sick. Harry keeps his hand on the back of my head so that my face stays hidden in his chest. He starts to stand up, but my legs can hardly move. I try to stand, but I'm way to shaken up. It feels like my body is made of rubber.

"Come on Draco." He says, grabbing my jacket to help me to my feet. I still can't stand no matter how much I try to move my legs. My fingers cling to his shirt for dear life since it feels like I'm falling off a cliff.

"I can't, Harry…"

"We can't stay here." He says sweetly, embracing me tightly as if saying he won't leave me here alone.

I don't say anything and just grip onto his shirt tighter until I can feel my hand shake with tightness. He stays quiet and the wind finally dies down. The Hovercraft is probably leaving, but I'm still not looking until Harry tells me it's okay.

"It's gone." Harry says at last, holding me tighter, "Like it never happened."

Slowly, I pull my head back and my eyes immediately dart on over to the spot where Blaise had died. All that remains is my crimson soaked axe lying in a shadow of blood. I gag as I start to picture his death and clamp my hand over my mouth, pressing my face into Harry's chest again with a moan of regret – and also holding back my vomit.

Gently, he wraps his arms around me tighter, pressing me to his chest as he tries to lift me to my feet. I'm still trying to keep up with him, really I am, but it takes me awhile to stand properly and even when I do get to my feet, Harry has to hold me up for support. He takes me back to the boulder slowly, and we're quiet the whole time we walk back. I just keep my eyes locked onto the ground, trying to concentrate on walking like a human being instead of falling to my knees. I can see my legs trembling with ever cautious step I take. Or that could just be my vision going in and out of focus.

When we finally get back to the boulder, I press my back to the oversized rock, hug my legs to my chest and press my forehead to my knees. I don't want Harry to see me cry, so I try to keep quiet. I know he can tell I lost it since I can't control the quiver of my shoulders.

All I feel are his arms around me. "It's okay, Draco." He says calmly, rubbing my head.

I lean against him, and just cry. I don't know what's worse: The fact that my best friend betrayed me or the fact that I took an axe to his face. Both hurt like someone's ripping my heart out and stepping on it with metal cleats, spreading the remaining parts of the organ around the clearing. Harry can tell me all he wants that this wasn't my fault, but it was my weapon that killed Blaise – not his – not Goyle's – _mine._ It was my fault.

"Harry." I say when I start to calm down. "You have to win." I don't know what brings me to say this to him. Maybe the realization that I really can't go on any farther after what happened. Right now I don't care. I don't even care if Harry finds out about Hermione anymore. Nothing matters. I just want to die.

"What?!" He says pulling away from me quickly like I'm a disease. That's the exact reaction I was looking for. But the pain in his eyes is ripping me apart. "No! Draco-" His voice is thick, but I don't let him finish.

"I can hold Goyle off long enough for you to get away. I can even weaken him somehow to make it easier for you. Once he kills me, you kill him."

"Draco! No!"

I ignore him. "We'll stay hidden for a little while longer. Marcus, Ron and Pansy can deal it out themselves. Until they die, we hide and then look for Goyle…"

"Draco-"

"Or maybe we can-" He yanks me back by my shoulders to look at me and I stop talking, staring at his face as his expression begins to turn into anger. I'm completely shocked by this since I wasn't expecting him to slam my back against the rock, but I guess it's all just from anger and fear that's been building up inside of him for 18 years.

"You're not dying for me!" He yells, shaking my slightly. I look at him in shock, seeing the pain rise in his green fire eyes.

"No one else is giving their life for me – no one! Not even you – especially you!" His voice is breaking and I can't do anything but just look at him. God, please don't cry.

"I've lost everyone in my life – _everyone!"_ His green eyes start to get glassy, and his fingers grip tighter into my shoulders making me wince in pain a little bit. I'm still speechless, but he's hurting me. Still, I say nothing. He looks at me with concern and gently pushes my messy bangs away from my eyes, his fingers contracting from my shoulders. I feel a bit of relief edge away from me. I guess he can tell he lost control of himself. "You're all I have left." His voice is small and slightly tight with fighting back his emotion.

I swallow and keep my gray eyes locked on his green ones, "I'm not letting the Games take you away from me too." He says, moving his hand to the side of my face.

I manage a softly smile as I put my hand over his, "But you need to win this. You can go home. Ginny will be glad to have you back, right? Can you imagine if The Boy Who Lived won the Games? You'll be more famous then you already are, Harry." Even I can hear the hurt in my tone at the mention of Ginny being with him.

To my surprise, he shakes his head, "I don't want Ginny and I don't want fame."

"But-" I try to say, but I'm cut off when he takes my face in both of his hands and pulls me closer.

"I just want you." He says softly, brushing hot air against my lips. "And I can't have that if I win without you." Why does he have to do this? He's making me feel selfish, like I want him to win for my own benefit.

"We can't both win. You know that – and they won't let that happen. We'll be killed if we try…" I say.

He kisses me lightly and hugs me to his chest. "We'll think of something." I shut my eyes and just take in the sound of his strong heartbeat. I'm not arguing anymore, it's pointless. I don't care what he says, I'll find a way to make him win – he has to…

The next morning, I wake up with my head rested on Harry's shoulder. At first I panic since I don't see him right away, but once I hear the sound of his heart beat I relax. I push off of him tiredly, and slowly, still half asleep. But before I can even sit up all the way, I feel him grab my wrist and I jump slightly at his touch.

"You're not sneaking off again, are you?" He says sleepily, blinking his eyes hard like he's got a piece of dirt in them. Those contracts must be starting to hurt by now.

I turn to him and smile, "No. I'm not going anywhere." I say.

Suddenly he sits up, eyes straining on me with concern, like he just noticed something obvious and is trying to figure out why he didn't see it before. He gently grabs my neck. I jolt back, feeling a shock of pain where his right hand is, which is inches below my jawline.

"What happened?" He asks gently.

"What?"

"You're bleeding, that's what."

I almost forgot that Blaise managed to cut my neck while we were fighting. Just thinking about him makes me shift uncomfortably. I push Harry's hand away and use my own, still bandaged hand, to cover up to the cut myself. "It's nothing. Just a scratch." He looks like he's about to argue to this so I just stand up, cutting him off.

"How about I do the hunting this morning?" I say as I bend down to grab my still bloody axe near my backpack. Harry must have taken it back with us last night without me noticing.

"Draco-"

"Good idea, I'll hunt!" I say, interrupting. I wish he'd just _stop_ worrying so much for me. Although, if he didn't worry so much I would be dead by now due to my own cowardliness and stupidity.

"Fine." He says harshly, standing up and taking his spear that's leaning against the boulder.

I look at him with confusion, "What are you doing."

He swings his backpack over his shoulder casually, "Coming with you?" Is that sarcasm I hear? I blink with no emotion on my face. Does he seriously think I can't handle myself out there?

"What, so you think after you snuck off on me last night I'll let you go out there alone? I'm coming with you." He says with a half-laugh, handing me my backpack.

I roll my eyes, "Fine…" I snatch the backpack from his hand roughly and swing the thing on my back as we start walking together. After a few steps I hear Harry laugh again, "What'd I do now!?" I say irritated, turning to face him.

"Nothing, nothing. You're just-"

"Just what?!"

He looks at me with a smile that makes my face go straight. "You're adorable, that's all." He says, "And I'm not letting you get our food, believe me when I say: we'll be out here all day, maybe a month if you do."

"What!? What are you implying, Potter?" He jumps slightly at the sound of his last name. I haven't used it in a while and it even sounds weird to me when it's coming out of my own mouth.

"It means having you doing anything the 'Muggle way' means we starve to death. Goyle would probably end up finding vultures picking at our flesh by then." He says with humor to his voice. I know he's just kidding and trying to lighten the mood, but after what happened last night I'm not up to laughing or even smiling.

"Oh, I see how it is!" I hold up my axe, "You taught me how to use this! I can throw my axe just as easily as you can through your stupid stick!"

"Spear." He corrects, pointing the thing at me. "And it's going through your skull in a minute." He smirks, still joking around.

"It's a pointy stick! Get over it!" I say, pushing the weapon away from my face with the back of my hand. "And I won't make us starve! I can hunt too, you know."

"Clearly…" He says sarcastically with a smirk. "I'd love to see you last in a zombie apocalypse."

What's _that _supposed to mean? I narrow my eyebrows at him and he snickers, I guess seeing the slight anger in my eyes, "Lighten up, I'm only teasing!"

"Yeah, well if I were a zombie, yours is the first brain I'm eating."

The sides of his lips twitch as he tries to hold back a smirk. I huff, a bit annoyed. "I'm not in the mood to joke around, Potter." I walk ahead of him.

Suddenly I feel his hand on my shoulder and he pulls me back to look at him. "Okay, listen…" He says; his humorous tone replaced with a deep, serious one. "All joking aside, you're a bit clumsy with weapons when you're under pressure, and I just don't-"

"Clumsy!?" I echo, cutting him off.

"Draco, when you panic too much or get angry, you're not paying attention to what you're doing. You might accidently hurt yourself or even me."

At the _even me_ part the anger leaves my face, allowing the tense muscles to relax, and I just look away, feeling slightly guilty.

"Just, let me get the food… Okay…?"

I sigh in defeat, thinking about what I did to Blaise. I nod curtly, "Okay…"

He kisses the top of my head and moves his hand to the side of my face, causing me to look up at him. "You're a good fighter… But I just don't want you getting hurt for a stupid reason." I guess he can hint the hurt in my tone…

I just nod and let him walk ahead of me. Meanwhile, I pick on the rest of the mint leaves I still have stashed in my backpack. Before I put the next one in my mouth, I take a look at the thing. Maybe I can search around for these, since I feel completely useless following Harry around the clearing doing absolutely nothing.

I start to walk off in a different direction and Harry catches me right away, "Where are you going?" He snaps. I freeze up like I'm guilty of a crime.

I hold up the leave in my hand, "I'm gonna look around for these. I'll stay where you can see me."

He walks up to me and snatches the leave out of my hand like he's preventing me from eating it as if it's poison. "Harry, it's fine." I say irritated rolling my. "I've been eating these for days. I'd be dead by now if they were poisoned."

"Fine." He says. "Stay close, okay?"

I wave my hand to dismiss him "Yeah, yeah." I say turning my back on him to look around. I use one of the leaves I still have for reference to what I'm looking for. I can even tell by the smell of spearmint that I got the right thing, anyway.

Suddenly, I jump up at the sound of movement. Harry, who's nearby, must have heard it too since he's immediately at my side.

"What was that?" He whispers cautiously, holding his spear up.

I press my back to his so we have a better view of our surroundings.

"Ouch!" I hear a high pitched voice say in aggravation. I look in front of me to see a small person stumble out from the thick underbrush. My heart does a summersault in my chest, and my eyes grow wide. I can even feel my blood go cold at the sight of her.

I lower my weapon, _"Pansy!?"_ I say in shock.

She gasps at the sound of her name, but immediately calms down when she sees me. Wow… she looks so beat up, like she recently got out of a pretty rough fight. Her face is stained with dirt and a bit of blood. There are some cuts on her face and her hair is slightly matted. At the same time, she still manages to look… beautiful…

"_Draco!?"_ She says, a big smile snaking onto her lips.

She runs into my arms and I hug her tight, like I haven't seen her in decades.

"My God, Draco! You're okay! I'm so glad you're okay!" She exclaims, her voice slightly shaky with excitement. Or she could be crying.

I've never been this happy to see her face, even though it is covered in dirt and blood. I got Pansy back. Even if it's for a short while – I got her back.

"Oh, well, it's nice to finally see someone that isn't trying to kill you, Draco." Harry says, now standing at my side. Pansy and I pull back and she eyes him sarcastically like he's scum, "Oh…" She says unpleasantly. "I forgot this bastard was still alive. Hello, Potter… I hope you're taking care of this one."

"At first I was a whore. Now I'm a bastard?" He clutches his right hand over the left side of his chest, as if his heart was aching, but I can tell he's just being sarcastic and childish. "Ouch…"

"You're many things…" Pansy says, "Would you like to hear the rest? I have compiled a list."

Harry snorts, "I've made one for you too." He pauses to allow a smirk to snake onto his lips, "Bitch-"

"Okay!" I butt in before this gets ugly, and judging by the look on Pansy's face she looks as if she's about ready to bite Harry's throat open with her teeth. "I think that's enough."

"Well, anyway… Are you taking care of my Draco, Potter?" Pansy taunts.

Harry ruffles up my hair like I'm a little kid, "Oh, I am." He says with a bit of mystery to his voice. "But he's not yours, missy." I roll my eyes only to have them shoot open when I feel his hand move down my back and grab my ass. I pin my back up straight with shock and shove Harry in the stomach with my elbow. He coughs but still manages a laugh. I got him to move at least.

"Anyway…" I growl, fighting the urge to punch him after what he just did. Even though I don't want to admit I liked it, I did… If Pansy weren't here right now I wouldn't care, but she is, and I can tell by the look on her face that she saw Harry's perverted little act.

"How'd you manage to get rid of Goyle? What happened?!" I say, eager to hear her side of the story. I've been wondering this since the night I left her.

She takes her fire filled eyes off of Harry and shoots them up at me, the anger leaving her face, immediately, "Goyle overheard our whole conversation. After you left, I forced myself to get some sleep and the next thing I knew he was shaking me awake, screaming, 'where's Malfoy!' and 'what happened? Where is he?' Long story short, I told him I fell asleep and had no idea where you went off to. I got away from him just in time and as I was running I heard the cannon. When I looked behind me," She stops for a moment when her voice gets shaky with fear and sadness. Before she continues she takes a quick shaky breath, "I just saw Crabbe hit the ground – blood everywhere – as Goyle ripped his back open with his sword." I hear Harry gag in sickness next to me and see him wrap an arm around his waist. Even I begin to feel nauseous. Pansy sighs and whips some blood off of her face from a small cut under her left eye, "As you can see, it wasn't easy to get away from him. The allayment has been broken ever since."

Harry and I share nervous glances, and I can tell by the sudden pale look on his face that Pansy's story made him feel ill. I swallow hard and turn back to her, "Do you know where Goyle is hiding?"

She shakes her head and I hear Harry sigh, "I don't. If I had to guess, he's probably by the Cornucopia. If not, he can be tracking me right now."

"What about Marcus?" I ask.

She shrugs, "He ran off while I was fighting Goyle – the coward. He could be anywhere."

"And… Ron?" Harry asks nervously, stepping forward as if asking a very deep and personal question.

Shockingly, Pansy doesn't give him attitude, but a bit of sympathy. "Sorry, Potter. Haven't seen him either." Harry lowers his head mournfully, his black hair falling into his eyes. I can tell he's worried about Ron and I rest my hand on his shoulder to reassure him that Weasley is still okay. But he doesn't even respond to my touch. Pansy now turns to me, "…Blaise…" She says, trying to point out his death with just the sound of his name. I take my hand off Harry and just look away with guilt flooding every bit of me. Harry doesn't reply either, but he does pick up his head emotionlessly.

"You should come with us." Harry says at last, but a bit dully, "You'll be safer."

"You sure, Potter? I won't be interrupting your little fantasies about Draco will I?"

I shift uncomfortably and take a side step away from Harry before he attempts to grope me again. But I can tell he's too upset to try it.

"As long as you're not in them, it's fine." Harry says, still sounding hurt. Now I'm wondering if Weaslebee is okay. "Harry-" I start quietly, only to have Pansy giggle and hug my arm to cut me off, "Come on, Dray! I'll help you pick some leaves."

"And I'll go hunt. Have fun." Harry says before shooting a glare at Pansy, "Although, I'm watching you."

"Oh, relax, Scar head."

I say nothing and just look around the clearing with Pansy. We're quite for the most part, until I find a patch of leaves that look similar to the mint ones, although they're slightly bigger in size. They don't smell like spearmint, but I still pick some up.

Before I can even store them in my backpack, Pansy grips my wrist, "Draco! Put these down!" She snaps, and I quickly release the leaves like they might grow thorns and stab ever inch on my hand.

"Why?!" I say nervously.

"Don't just pick something if you don't know what it is!" She picks up the leaves to examine them, "I'm not an expert in wildlife, but I'm guessing these are poisonous. The color looks weird to me."

"…The color green?" I say sarcastically.

"Hey, if you don't want my help we can test it out. Have Potter eat one and if the cannon fires we have our answer."

"Not funny." I say. She puts the leaves down only for me to pick them back up.

"What are you doing?" She asks cautiously.

"_We_ might be able to tell the difference." I shoot her a suspicious glance, "But Goyle probably can't." I put the poisonous leaves in my backpack and help Pansy gather the mint ones before we and head to the boulder.

On our way there, we meet up with Harry who looks like he caught another rabbit since there's something bloody, furry and motionless hanging onto his spear.

"Oh, Potter, you are useful for something!" Pansy taunts, giving him a pat on the head like he's a puppy with flees, making his messy black hair even messier. Harry looks rather annoyed, like he's about to rip her head off her shoulders. His expression makes me smirk slightly though.

"Anyway…" Harry says, pushing Pansy aside with his spear, the rabbit caress gently brushing against her shoulder making her shriek in astonishment. "Oops…" Harry says nonchalantly.

"You did that on purpose!" Pansy exclaims, trying to get some blood and fur off her jacket.

Harry shrugs, "Nothing you can proof." He practically shoves the dead animal in her face, but she jumps back quickly before it can even touch her. "Just cuddle with it. It even smells God-awful like you do."

"Potter, you're pig! Draco, do something about this boy!" Pansy exclaims shoving Harry's shoulders so he can get away from her.

"Harry. Stop…" I say with a hard stare up at him. He lowers his spear and looks at me. "Just having a bit of fun…" He says. I look up at him since I'm sitting down on the rock and lean back on my elbows, "Not the best time." I say.

The anger leaves Harry's face and replaces it with a sweet smile, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes." Pansy says, just when I open my own mouth to speak. Harry growls from the back of his throat and rolls his eyes at the sound of her voice. I can't help but smile in amusement. Behind Harry, I can see Pansy grab my backpack that I left to sit on the rock. As she's rummaging through it, Harry sits down next to me, leaning his spear against the boulder.

Finally, she pulls out some of the poisonous leaves for Harry to examine. "Draco found something that might be useful." She hands the leaves to Harry and he takes them from her rather roughly, eyes still burning like green fire.

"Well, guess I'm keeping them now." He says.

"Why!? I found them…" I say.

"And you expect me to trust you with something poisonous? You probably through they were edible, knowing you."

"He did." Pansy says.

I roll my eyes and look away from them, "Fine, they're yours."

"Good." Harry says, putting them in his own backpack, "Now, we need firewood." He starts to get up, volunteering himself, only to have Pansy object, "I'll get it, it's no big deal." She says.

"You sure?" Harry asks, actually sounding a bit concerned, but I can't ignore the hint of suspicion on his face. Although, after everything he's been through I don't blame him for not trusting anybody.

There's no way I'm letting Pansy go out there by herself and I jump to my feet before she can say another word, "I'll go with you."

"No, Draco, it's okay. I won't be too far, besides you need a break. Help Potter stay look out, I'll be back soon. You guys both did enough already. I wanna help too." She starts to walk away, but I snatch her wrist in my hand, "I'm going with you, Pansy…"

"No…" She gives Harry a soft look before leaning up to kiss my cheek, "Even though I hate him… you belong here."

"But-"

"I'll be back before you know it!" She cuts me off and I don't even have time to stop her since she darts away from me. "Pansy-" I say, about to run after her, but Harry grabs my shoulder.

"She'll be fine, Draco, she made it this far in one piece."

I don't even look at him; instead, my eyes follow Pansy, trying to figure out how far she's going. I figured she'd stay close to the river so she can find her way back, but she cuts through the forest and soon I can't see her at all.

I start to panic, "She took the wrong turn. Harry, I'm going after her."

"Draco!" Harry says, grabbing both my shoulders, making me stop in my tracks to look at him, "You can't hold onto her forever…" If only I could. But I know Harry's right. I just got Pansy back and I don't want to lose her yet – maybe that's why I'm so protective of her.

I nod, dropping my gaze from him. He kisses the top of my head and grabs my bandaged hand. "I told you, we'll get through this. Maybe Pansy will too." I swallow hard and grip onto my right arm, just inches above where Harry's holding my hand, but I say nothing.

"Hey…" He says calmly, grabbing my face to look up at him. "Trust me… Okay?" That's the thing, I do trust him. I think I trust him a little too much, actually. I say nothing, and just press my forehead to his shoulder as I wrap my arms around his back. He doesn't even hesitate to wrap me up in his own embrace. Something about this hug calms me. Maybe it's because I feel safe with him, even though everyone is hunting us down, trying to kill us both. But right now, I feel secure, and this is the best feeling I've felt in a while.

It still bugs me, though. Knowing that Harry thinks we can both win this stupid thing, but doesn't realize that's impossible. First of all, we're from different houses. If we tried to win together, we'd end up doing something sever that defies against the Capital – probably end up getting killed anyway. I guess dying with him is better than dying without him, though. I'd rather get my limbs cut off or be tormented by the Capitol rather than letting Harry die.

We stay in each other's arms for a while until I suddenly push away from him at the sound of a scream – _Pansy's scream._ No – oh, God no. I knew I shouldn't have let her go by herself! I feel my heart sink and my legs get wobbly with fear at the thought of her being in trouble.

"No…" I say under my breath.

"_NO, STOP-" _I hear her yell in the distance, but her cry for help turns into a scream, like someone suddenly tried to hurt her to get her to stop yelling in agony. _"DRACO!"_

My whole body shakes at the sound of her desperate cry and the pain in her voice when she screams my name. "Pansy!" I say back, my voice breaking with nervousness. I don't even wait for Harry to object and I just start running in the direction I saw her disappear before.

"Draco – no!" Harry yells from behind me, but I don't stop. I know he's chasing me, but I _won't_ let Goyle take her away from me.

"_Draco, help!"_ She sounds close – very close, and I can even hear Harry gaining up on me which only gets my feet to move faster. "Pansy! I'm coming!" I pant in fear, not allowing my legs to stop.

Now, finally, ahead of me, between a few trees, I can see her. She's pined to the ground with someone on top of her… Goyle… Something makes me skid to a stop. I don't know why, but I can't move. Everything around me slows down and goes silent. The only thing I can make out is the very faint echo of Pansy screaming my name. I'm frozen in shock. My legs won't even budge.

Then, finally, my hearing starts to come back when Pansy screams, practically at the top of her lungs, "DRACO, PLEASE, DON'T LET HIM KILL ME!"

Harry's caught up to me now and just before he can grab me; I dash over to her, ready to behead Goyle even if I left my axe back at the boulder. I'm so angry and scared right now, I can probably kill him with my hands. He will pay for this. Just the fact alone that he's scaring her sends an electric charge of pure hatred for him right through me.

She's screaming and as I get closer I see that _monster_ smirk. He uses a free hand to take one of Pansy's knives from her vest and just before I run to stop him, I feel Harry grab my waist, pulling me back.

"No!" I scream, voice cracking and heart lurching as I watch Goyle shift the knife in his hand, readying to stab her. Pansy's still squirming and screaming in agony. "No, Goyle, Please!" She says desperately, squirming from under his hold on her.

"Draco, stop! You can't do anything for her now, let it go!" Harry says, but I ignore him and try to wiggle my body out of his tight grasp as he's pulling me back. My boots dig into the ground for extra footing, trying to fight him off, but my legs are too shaky to hold my balance. I know the thought of me jumping into this fight to save her is stupid. That's what Goyle wants. He doesn't want to kill her – he wants to kill me. He's just using Pansy as bait.

Goyle gives me an evil smirk, more vicious then I've ever seen, like this was something he had planned and finally gets to show it to the world. The cameras are on us. I can feel it. I can just see my father's disappointed face as he watches this horror show.

Pansy strains her head back to look at me, a painfully sad look on her face, like she's completely given up. I look at her in fear, trying to shove Harry off. "I love you." She says, tears running down her dirt and blood stained face. Suddenly her whole body freezes and she gasps loudly, eyes still fixated on me. Her teeth grit in pain and my eyes trail down to her stomach where a big circle of blood is starting to form through her vest, and stretch across her torso.

Goyle stabbed her… right in the stomach.

For a second my whole body goes numb in shock, but when I start to feel Harry drag me back, I continue fighting, "NO! PANSY!" She's still alive, though. Maybe there's still a chance. If I can just shake Harry off… I'm not giving up yet.

I know I'll be slaughtered like a helpless animal if I try to stop this, now, after it's gone way too far. But I can't let this monster kill the only other person that ever meant something to me. I had to watch Blaise die in vain, but not Pansy. Oh, God, not her…

Her breathing starts to pick up speed and blood begins to run down the sides of her mouth like a river. Oh, please just stop. Why can't that be me instead of her? This isn't fair. And all I can do is watch – just standing here in Harry's arms watching her die. No one can possible know what this is doing to me.

"GOYLE, I'LL KILL YOU!" I scream, trying to get at him, but Harry's got my arms down tight.

"Oh, I'm not done yet, pretty boy." He says, a demon like sneer on his face.

Not done? What more could he possibly do this poor girl that's dying right from under him? I spoke too soon. He roughly rips open Pansy's vest, the extra knives that are attached get flung to the ground in the process. "No…" I say, voice breaking. Now, I notice that tears are running heavily down my own face. He holds the knife up to the left side of her chest, and I get a sudden and heavy sick feeling in my stomach. I know exactly what he's about to do and I can't look away, even though Harry is forcing my head from sight.

"Goyle… Please…" He looks at me with an evil, triumphant look on his face. He knows he got me – he knows that he finally managed to get inside on my heart and tear it shreds. He broke me. Just like he wanted. "I'll do anything you want. Kill me – take me – just please… stop this…" My vision becomes blurry with tears but I can still see him grinning. "Don't hurt her anymore. You've done it okay!? You snapped me in half! What you want from me now? You want me to give up – because I already have, Goyle."

"We all have to die, Draco. So does she." He sneers.

"Do we? Goyle, please just stop this. They changed you. This isn't who you are – you let them _own_ you!"

He gives me a hard look, but Pansy's gagging and gurgling sounds bring his attention back to her.

"We're friends, Goyle." He looks back up at me and I can feel Harry yanking me back harder. He says something in my ear. It sounded like give up, but I just ignore him. "Don't you remember anything?"

"I remember what you are. Death Eater."

"No, Greg. I know that's not what you really think of me. You look at me and you tell me honestly what you really see."

At the sound of his first name, his shoulders drop and his expression goes straight. But only for a second. It's like in that second he just got back every single memory he ever had of us. Because when I looked at him then I saw the friend I met first year. But now… he has his evil look back on that smug face of his, and brings his attention back to Pansy. Her body is twitching in pain now, and I can tell she's almost gone.

I pull hard from Harry but he manages to keep me restrained. "GOYLE, STOP!" Too late. His blade has already dug deep into her chest, causing blood to spit at his smirking face and spill out from the deep and wide wound he's making in Pansy's chest. Now he really does look insane.

"NO!" I keep screaming, but that doesn't do anything. "GOYLE STOP, PLEASE, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?"

"Draco, we gotta go!" Harry yells, anger rising in his tone. Still I ignore him, clamping a severely shaking hand over my mouth to hold back the vomit as I watch this horror show. There's nothing I can do. Nothing. Pansy is screaming, despite the unbearable pain she must be in and I can only feel my heart shatter. "Pansy…" I say into my hand, my tears burning my eyes and blurring my vision. My body starts to give up fighting Harry, but he still holds his arms around me, trying to keep me on my feet since he can probably feel me getting weaker by the second.

I blink my eyes to let the tears run down my face. Now I can see everything clearly. But, God, I wish I couldn't. Goyle's only digging the knife deeper and deeper, twisting and turning it, until he's scraping bone. When he gets the hilt of the knife into the gash in Pansy's chest he tosses the blade aside, no longer needing it, and uses his hands – yes, his own_ hands_ to dig them inside the pit he made in her chest, using them to stretch her open. I can hear bones cracking, see blood spilling and spitting every which way. Pansy's gone. Completely gone, but her eyes… They're dead, but still on me.

I gag, trying to fight back the bile rising up in my throat, but I can't turn away. Harry gently pulls me back and I almost fall over. "Draco, we can't stay here!" I shake my head.

Just when I think the worst is over, Goyle reaches a blood soaked hand into her open chest. It looks like he's gripping onto something and finally I see him pull his hand out. My eyes widen huge at what I'm seeing.

In the palm of his fat, crimson hand is Pansy's lifeless _heart_.

I muffle loudly into my hand, wanting to vomit and scream my head off.

"She said you'd always have her heart, pretty boy." He tosses the dead organ at my feet, making me twitch slightly. "Now it's yours to keep."

No… No, no, no, no, no, this is not happening right now. I didn't just witness this – I didn't see any of this. Pansy's not dead – she can't be dead – she didn't just leave me.

I can't even take my eyes off of her heart… And when the cannon finally fires, I know none of it was a dream.

**End Part II**

* * *

AN: Well... Part 2 ends here. I'm sorry this wasn't what you were expecting Pansy's death to be like, but I had to make it tragic for Draco. How he's still holding himself together is beyond me. Poor boy. Anyway, I'm sooo sorry for posting this late... I can't remember when I posted 17, but I assume it was a week ago, I don't remember. School drove me nuts this week, completely cray! Anyway, 18 IS HERE ENJOY! Again, I'm so sorry Pansy! She'll make many apperences in flashbacks in the sequal. (Which will be like Quarter Quell btw. I have it all planed out so no worries!) I'll hopefully get 19 up tonight or tomorrow. Shits going down guys... The finale is coming up soon so brace yourselves. It's gonna be badass.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Part III**_

_**The Victor**_

Chapter 19 – Hunted

"One down," Goyle says, pulling his sword out from his belt as his evil eyes glare through Harry and me, "two to go." I can feel Harry's heart pounding against my back.

"Okaaay. Time to go…" Harry says nervously, his voice shaking.

My eyes move off of Pansy's heart and shoot up at Goyle. I can feel my expression turning into rage with just the visual of the blood on his smug face.

"Draco, no!" Harry yells, pulling me back, ordering me like a disobedient dog. My feet skid in the dirt, forcing them to run at this _animal_ in front of me, but Harry's too strong and he's only forcing me back with every movement I make.

"Better run." Goyle taunts inching closer… closer. He's moving slowly, like he wants us to run to give him a challenge.

"DRACO, MOVE!" I freeze in fear, my eyes turning back to Pansy. The hovercraft is coming to take her away. I can tell by the wind and the strange humming in the sky.

"NOW!" Harry yells. My head shoots up at Goyle, causing my heart to leap. He's right in my face, blade raised high, ready to take another kill. Just before he brings it down, Harry finds enough strength to yank me away. I stumble slightly, still shaken up from everything, but I still try to manage in keeping up with him.

He's running in a completely different direction from our boulder. Probably not wanting Goyle to find our hiding spot if he runs straight for it. But – my axe – and Harry's spear. We left them there.

"Harry. Our weapons-" I say, panting, hardly audible.

"Don't worry about that, just keep running!" I hope he knows what he's doing…

I follow him closely, almost to the point where we're running neck and neck. Goyle's only a few feet behind us. I can tell by the shaking of the earth beneath me with every beating stomp his heavy feet are taking. I force my wobbly legs to run faster, but I know my shock is slowing me down and I can't keep up. Harry starts to get ahead of me without even realizing that I'm lagging behind. All I can think about is Pansy. I feel so sick right now – like I can just vomit, but I force it back, trying to be strong, but I'm losing it. I'm really losing it. No, I can't break down now.

_Hang. On. Just hang on!_

Suddenly something grabs the back of my jacket and it feels like my heart has completely stopped. I barely have time to yell out Harry's name for help, since my body is thrown hard to the ground, knocking the air from lungs, hitching my breath intensely.

Goyle stands over me, blade ready to run right through my body.

"Finally." He says. I try to back up on the ground, but he points the sword at my throat, making me freeze in place with a terrified whine. The blade is cold against my skin, making me shiver.

I look up at him, fear and horror taking over my face. He leans down close to me almost so our noses are touching. We're so close I think a bit of blood that's still on his face is dripping onto mine. He's not even trying to pin me down – probably knowing I'm too weak and scared to fight him off anyway.

"Where's your pretty little boyfriend now, Draco?" He sneers.

I can't even speak. Suddenly my whole body spazzes slightly when Goyle slaps a bloody hand over the left side of my chest, smearing my jacket with scarlet. What, is he going to rip _my _heart out now?

He smirks, and I cower against the ground, feeling as if a hole will form beneath me and suck me into an abyss of darkness. "Never thought someone's heart could beat so fast." He says in amusement. "Too bad Parkinson's will never beat again."

I look up at him desperately, but I know that won't save me. Something in me tells me to attack him – destroy him for what he just said – _what he just did! _ But that's suicide. All I can do is look up at him with pleading, helpless eyes, "Please, Goyle…" I say with hardly any voice left.

His smirk grows wider at the thought of me begging for my life as he brings his sword down to the center of my chest. "Oh, I'm sorry," He says, tilting his head to one side, really causing himself to look insane. I strain myself from under him and whine as if the blade already went through me, "Am I hurting you?" He taunts. I let out a soft cry and turn my head away, shutting my eyes, and grip the grass beneath my quivering hands. I hope this ends fast. Just cut me open and be done with it.

But nothing happens. Actually, it feels as if Goyle has completely pulled himself off of me because I no longer feel any pressure. I hear a painful sounding grunt and shoot my eyes open, shocked to find that I'm still in the arena alive. Now, it sounds like someone is rolling around in grass violently – like a fight or something. I gasp hoarsely. _Harry!_ I bolt upright to find him and Goyle tossed to the ground, trying to kill each other.

I've never seen Harry so angry and from the looks of things, he's winning. He's got Goyle against the ground, arm pressed to this throat. "DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH HIM AGAIN, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" He screams, sending a shudder of panic through my body. I should have known he wouldn't have Goyle pinned down for long, since that animal doesn't even look phased or even threatened. He jabs Harry in the rib cage with his knee, making Harry release Goyle's throat instinctively at the shocking pain that suddenly shoots through him. Potter rolls off of him and lands on the ground, onto his side, holding his stomach in pain, grunting in agony.

I stand up despite the trembling of my legs just when Goyle grabs Harry's white T-shirt, slamming the poor boy against the nearest tree. Harry gasps in anguish, and shuts his eyes tight as the pain pierces his spine, gasping for air and twitching his legs painfully, and effortlessly to get away. Goyle has a fat hand gripping Potter's thin throat, wearing a bloody grin of pleasure. My eyes narrow evilly as my fists ball tightly by my sides, making my nails dig into my palms.

Trying to push him back, I see Harry grip that monster's wrist only to have more air knocked out of him when Goyle uses a free hand to punch him twice in the stomach.

I stagger around, looking for Goyle's sword that he must have dropped in the process of this fight.

I can hear Harry coughing and gasping for air – wheezing desperately. He's in so much pain that he's using his nails to cut Goyle's hand that's wringing his neck. The monster just laughs, as if he likes this – he probably does.

Goyle looks as if he's about to throw another punch, but this time to Harry's face. Harry strains his head away, awaiting the worst. Finally, I find this animal's sword and press the point at the back of his neck, holding the hilt with both hands. Goyle freezes as if knowing I'm right behind him, causing Harry turn his head back with caution when he finds that nothing sticks him. "Let. Him. Go!" I say, my voice deepening into a growl.

There's no way I will kill him – I can't take another life for watch someone else die – even if it's Goyle… No… But I am scared as hell. I can see the weapon in my hand shaking uncontrollably as I hold it in midair.

Reluctantly, Goyle let's Harry go, and I watch as he falls to his knees, coughing and gasping for his breath. His whole body is trembling and I can't take my worry filled eyes off of him as he suffers, even though I wish I could run to him, but I'm too afraid to move. My heart aches. I hate seeing him hurt – it's like I can feel everything he's feeling.

On the corner of my eye I see Goyle turn to face me and my eyes shoot up at him, as I grip the hilt of his sword tighter, only causing it to shake a bit more violently in my grasp at the sight of his blood stained face.

He smiles, "Well, Malfoy doesn't this bring back memories?" I hear Harry's heavy panting retreat and see him lift his head up, fury staining his green eyes like fire. He looks vicious as he stares up evilly at Goyle, like he's ready to stab him repeatedly in the back. There's no mistaking the utter and sever rage burning his face. He must have also been coughing up blood because the side of his mouth is running a thin red river.

"Weapon aimed at a man you, again, cannot kill." Goyle continued. I swallow hard, expression straightening when I remember facing Dumbledore on the astronomy tower. He's right – I'm in that same position again. But this time I'm aiming to kill someone whose intentions were to hurt me and the people I cared about – and in the end succeeding. I should kill him, but I don't know why I can't… As sick as he may seem, he's still a human being… And he was once my friend… I'll never forgive or forget what he's doing, but… I guess deep down, I'll always care about him. Something in me tells me to just pierce this sword through his body and give him the worst death imaginable. But I'm not like that. I haven't lost all my sanity yet.

"Goyle." I say softly, seeing Harry stand up behind him quietly, and slowly making his way over to me.

Goyle just stands motionless, a smirk still planted on his bloody and insane looking face. Even though Harry's by my side now, I still don't take this weapon off of this monster. I just feel better that Harry's out of the clutches of this psycho path.

I shake my head, feeling more tears forming in the back of my gray eyes. "Why are you doing this?" He doesn't say anything, but I swear his smirk is slightly fading. "I know this isn't what you want, Goyle-"

"You don't know-"

"Yes I do!" I say, pressing the blade to his chest when he inches closer, stopping him instantly. "You know this isn't you. And if you do win… You won't win for honor or bravery…"

I feel Harry closing in against my arm, and I slightly feel a bit more relaxed. "You'll just win being the cold blooded, black hearted monster you are."

He still says nothing and now his smirk has faded completely. "And I feel sorry for you." I pause and shift my eyes over to Harry. He's panting and looks slightly beat up and hunched over due to the punches he received in the gut. I look back at Goyle with furry on my face. "But I swear – if you ever hurt him again… You'll have more to fear than yourself, Goyle. Lay another filthy hand on him and_ I'm_ turning into the bad guy."

His scowl forms back a few seconds later and Harry and I back up as he inches closer. "You think I'm afraid of a little spoiled brat like you? Just because you're the president's son – that won't stop me from gutting you!"

I give up on trying to talk to him. Nothing will work to make him change his mind or make him see how cruel he is. I'm done. I'm not fighting this bastard anymore. Keeping my gray eyes on his like glue, I lower the blade and toss it to the ground. Harry's grabbing my arm, trying to get me run since Goyle looks like he's ready to go in for the kill. I still stand my ground.

"Draco…" Harry says with an edge to his voice, fear taking over. He grips my arm tighter, slightly pulling me away, and I can tell he's getting more afraid by the second, by the way his body is stiffening like a board against mine.

I take a step towards Goyle and his eyes soften to a sort of confusion. "If you're as strong as you think you are, you wouldn't need a weapon to kill me." I say, trying to sound brave, but I can't help but seem scared.

He doesn't move or take his murder lust eyes off of mine, and as terrified as I am, I keep my own eyes on his, standing still, fighting the urge to run for my life. Even though I feel like that's the better option right now.

Goyle takes a step backward and smirks. It's like Harry is two steps ahead of him, because as soon as Goyle darts for his sword, Harry yanks me back and forces me to run.

Pansy was right this whole time. Goyle is a coward. And I just showed the entire world that. Not being able to fight without a weapon? He'll be remembered for that…

I know he's following us by the heavy footsteps drawing closer from behind. I'm trying to keep my shock under control and force my legs to move fast. I know I can out run Goyle easily, but right now Pansy's death keeps replaying in my head. I still refuse to believe what I saw, even though I secretly know it wasn't just in my head, because I would _never_ imagine something that horrid. Especially when it comes to Pansy. Still, I feel like it was partly my fault. I let her go too easily when I could have followed her in the woods. Maybe if I did, she would still be here right now.

I must be spacing out because my legs start to slow down and I hear Harry scream my name.

I shake my head, coming back to reality, only to skid to a stop, feeling my heart lurch and the air drop from my lungs. Even Goyle, behind me, stops in terror.

Towering over me are two mutts – _muttants_ as Harry called them a few days ago. I feel like I can't move for a second and just stare up at these massive bears. One of them roars deeply and holds up a giant paw to slash me open. My eyes go straight to its long, black, sharpened claws. I swallow hard at the sight of them, terrified to find out what sort of damage those claws can do.

"DRACO, MOVE!" Harry yells as I see him dodge the other mutt's snout as it tries to bring its wide, gapping jaws down on him. I hear Goyle grunt behind me and I jump out of the way as the bear brings its paw down to scrape me open. Only I don't get out of the way fast enough because I feel a shock of pain hit me and an intense stabbing sensation on the side of my neck.

Yelling in agony, I hit the ground, holding the side of my neck as I feel blood gush threw my fingers. Those precious seconds I missed spacing out, only gave this stupid monster more time to plan out its attack. From what I feel, the mutt's claws grazed my neck, my jaw line, and I think my shoulder got hit too.

Looking at my quivering hand, I see it's covered in blood, so much blood that even my arm is soaked in red.

I try to push myself up, but my vision is getting fuzzy and I'm shaking with terror. Hearing the mutt's bone chilling roar again, I bring my head up to it. My eyes widen as I see it hold up its paw again. I shut my eyes and feel myself being thrown onto my back.

My breath hitches when I feel the air get knocked out of me only to feel excessive wait on my chest and stomach, making me gasp even harder. When I get a clear view of what's going on, I see mutt's got me pressed hard against the ground from under it's paw.

I can't move anywhere and I can't even breathe since this bear's heavy foot is pressing so hard on my torso, digging my body into the Earth under my back. I feel like I'm being crushed. I use my bloody hand to dig my nails into its leg, but it doesn't budge. I'm suffocating – in about a few second my rib cage will cave in on my lungs. I want to scream – scream for Harry, wherever he is. But no sound comes out, not even a whimper.

Looking up at this bear's dark brown face, I only feel more fear flush threw me. Its lips are pulled back in a wide and fierce scowl, showing every single one of its razor sharp teeth, dripping droll from its black lips like this mutt can't wait to finish me off and have me for dinner. Its eyes are beety, like two small brown dots in the center of an ugly brown pillow. Not to mention the long diagonal scar across its face.

Pressing its paw harder against my body, I do the only thing I can to show that I'm being tormented and beat the ground in pain with my legs, feeling the life literally draining out of me. So this is what Goyle meant by dying slowly? It hurts…

Wait – Harry! Where's Harry? I haven't seen Goyle either – maybe he ran off. I wouldn't be surprised.

Suddenly I feel the mutt's paw dig deeper into my torso, making me grunt in pain. I look up at its face again, and… wait… It's eyes… they look very similar to – "Blaise?" I rasp, voice sounding like sandpaper with the last bit of air I have left in my lungs. Something in the mutt's eyes fill with remorse and it lightly pulls its paw back. Its lips uncoil with a sense of realization.

Suddenly, the other mutt that was fighting Harry rams its body into the one that's holding me down. Only it seems like it bumped into the other by accident, like it was thrown off by some weird attack and lost balance. They seem to get angry with each other and bear that attached me – the one that looks like Blaise – soon seems to forget that I'm even here.

I gasp loudly for air, and cough. I can't even move so I just lay here limply, gasping for my life to come back into me. I know I'm still bleeding from whatever sort of scratches are on my neck, but I can't find the strength to hold my hand over my wound for presser. Now, I feel someone grab my arm, and usually I would jolt at the touch, but I 'm too weak to care.

Harry hovers over me, his face fuzzy with my own dizziness, and he tries to pull me up to my feet. The bears are still fighting nearby and Harry says something about getting out while they're distracted, but his voice sounds like an echo, so I'm not sure what he said exactly.

I'm wrapped in his arms again, like the night I killed Blaise. Only this time he's practically dragging me since my legs _refuse _to work. My head is cocked to one side as my eyes are glued to the ground. I can see my own blood dripping in puddles as we try to escape.

Soon the growling of the bear fight becomes faint enough to turn silent and the next thing I know, Harry is sitting me down against the boulder.

Everything goes black…

* * *

AN: Short chapter, (for me at least) but a lot of shit goes down. This may be the last chapter for the weekend. I need to study for two midterms on Thuresday. But we got about 8 more chapters to go until this is completed. However, I took a long nap today... and I'm not tired... so I'll start editing 20 and perhaps get it up, but no promises. ENJOY. Those confused about Blaise... just keep reading ;D


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 – Awakening

I groan and grit my teeth in pain, shivering like my bones are frozen as I feel needles on the side of my neck. I'm still staring at a black abyss, but then I realize my eyes are closed – or am I dead…?

Moaning in agony, I feel the sharp, prickly like feeling on my neck increases, making my eyes shoot open with a gasp, causing my heart to practically jump out of my chest when I realize what happened before I passed out – or at least what I think happened. My hand immediately goes to the side of my neck where I still feel like someone is stabbing me.

I bolt my body up, wanting to scream, but I stop myself. I can only remember a bit of what happened before I saw black, but not much. Suddenly I feel hands on my shoulders and my whole body jolts at the touch. But when I see it's Harry, I slightly calm down… but only slightly.

"Draco, it's okay! It's just me…"

My whole body is trembling and my eyes are so wide open I feel like I can see the entire arena from where I'm sitting. I breathe heavily and look down, gripping my head in terror in my hands, as I stare at the rock beneath me in torment, trying to remember what happened. "H-How long… w-was I out?" I can hardly speak. My voice sounds like someone stuck a knife down my throat and is forcing me to talk.

"A few days…" Harry says, "You almost bleed out. If I waited any longer, I would have lost you."

Suddenly, my head picks up in heartbeat when I remember Pansy, "PANY!" I yell, scrambling to get to my feet, only to have Harry keep me down by holding my shoulders tightly. It's like he's trying to keep my body tamed ahead of time in case I start having a panic attack. I remember she was with us when I was awake, but then we got separated… somehow…

Harry looks at me with sympathy and I grip onto his arms, almost digging my nails into his skin. I look into his green eyes, tears running down my face, "What happened?" I rasp.

He shakes his head slightly. I can see the pain rising in his eyes and it's scaring me. "Harry…" I say in panic, begging him to tell me something – anything.

He tries not to look away from me, but I know whatever he's about to tell me pains him enough that he can't stand to look me in the eyes. "She's gone, Draco…" He says at last.

My heart sinks to my stomach and I drop my eyes, putting the pieces together in my head. Every memory, every vision of Pansy's death is flooding back into me in one shot. I can hear her screaming in my head – screaming my name for me to help her. But I'm just standing there in Harry's arms, being dragged away – held back from helping her as she dies right in front of me. All I can do is beg Goyle for him to stop, but his evil eyes just glare up at me with a huge smirk on his blood dripping face. All that blood. Was there really that much blood? Goyle couldn't have done that – he wouldn't. He's inhumane and sick but… Oh, God tell me this didn't happen.

I grip my head hard, as if trying to pull out every flashback that just sank back into my brain.

"No…." I say shaking.

The image of Goyle tearing her heart out from her chest sends a painful shock up my spine like I just got the_ Cruciatus_ curse and I shut my eyes in torture. "STOP!" I scream forgetting that I'm re-imagining everything and it's as if I'm yelling at Goyle like he's in front of me. The memory just hurts – feeling so real. I can feel the tears running heavily down my face when I imagine Goyle's last words about her death. _"She said you'd always have her heart, pretty boy. Now it's yours to keep."_

Harry wraps his arms around me and I press my head to his chest, hugging him and gripping the back of his shirt, shaking against him like an abused puppy. I know there's nothing he can say or do to help me, and I don't need him to. Just the fact that he's here assures me that I'm not left in the dark.

And now, I can't hold it in anymore. I break down and cry into his chest, holding him close to me, like he might run off and get himself killed too. That's the last thing I need right now. But I still feel like I could have prevented most of this from happening. If I just went with her when she left the boulder I could have protected her from that monster, even if it meant protecting her with my life. I've said it before, I'll say it again: I don't care if I die.

We're both quiet for a while once I calm down. My body is still aching and trembling with shock, but I don't move away from Harry and just remain in his secure embrace.

"Why, Harry…?" I say at last.

I feel his hand on the back of my head, stroking my messy hair gently. "He's sick, Draco…"

I swallow hard and take a quivery breath as I shift slightly in his arms.

"She loved you." He says.

I bite my lip trying to fight back another urge to cry. "I know…" I say shakily.

Harry pulls back to look at me and holds my face gently in his hands, whipping my tears away. "I really hate seeing you like this…"

"Like… broken?" He blinks and tilts his head slightly.

"You're not broken, Draco."

"I mind as well be. I hope Goyle's happy now. He's finally done it…"

"Draco-"

"I don't care what you say, Harry. I'm making you win this thing, whether you like it or not."

Shockingly he doesn't have a bit of anger on his face. I look at him, keeping my eyes locked on his as he pulls back, "So that's it then? You're just gonna give up?" He doesn't even sound mad, but there's something about his tone that makes me feel guilty.

"Harry… When will I make you understand?" I shake my head slightly, feeling more tears blur my vision, "I just want to die. How can you think I'll be able to go on like this?" I hold my right arm tightly, secretly scratching my elbow, but remembering what's under my sleeve.

"Harry, you're brave – braver than anybody I've ever met. If anyone here is destined to win these Games it's you, not me… It was never me."

"I don't want to win either…" He says in a small voice.

I blink, "What? Why?"

"…Because I'm tired of fighting too. I've been fighting ever since I was born…"

"So…" I say, looking into his eyes, "When the time comes… We go together?"

He nods, smiling nervously, "Together."

"But… Why don't we just kill ourselves now, then? Why wait for Goyle to finish the job?"

He puts his hand on the side of my face, leaning in slightly, "I want to make up for lost time." His voice drops to a husky kind of whisper that makes the sides of mouth twitch into a half smile.

"I love you, you know." I say.

"And I love you." He says and presses his lips to mine.

This kiss doesn't feel like our past ones. Yes, there's that spark, but knowing we're both going to die in the end gives me a sort of sickening feeling in my stomach, causing this kiss to feel tight with tension. Although, I feel like this may be our last one, and it hurts to realize that. I grab the back of his head at the thought, pulling him closer.

His hand moves to the side of my neck and I pull away in pain. Memories of the mutt fight snap back at me. Harry quickly pulls back, looking at his slightly bloody hand.

"Draco! I'm sorry, I forgot-"

"Ow… it's fine…" I say, pressing my hand over the scratch marks that run across my neck.

Harry gently moves my hand to take a look and I jolt slightly at his touch, "Easy. I won't hurt you… Just stay still."

I strain my head sideways so he can have a better look and my teeth grind together as the pain increases. When my neck stretches, it's like the wounds are opening for the first time and the fresh air is like poison to them. "How's it look?" I ask him.

I feel his fingers gently glaze the cuts and I groan softly, fighting the urge to yell. "Not good. I tried using the rest of the medicine while you were passed out, but you're running low. I could only use so much. Plus I'm not a doctor. I wasn't sure what herbs to use without killing you."

I sigh, "Figures."

"How bad does it hurt?"

"Bad enough… What's it look like?"

His index finger gently touches my jaw line where I'm guessing he's trying to indicate where one of the cuts are.

"They run horizontally from your jaw to your shoulder. The ones on your neck are the worst, thought. Don't ever freeze up in front of a mutt like that! If you didn't get out of the way in time it could have took off your head, or possibly slit you open."

"It had Blaise's eyes…" I mumble, ignoring him and remembering the scar on the bear's face as it stared down at me.

"What?" Harry asked, clearly unable to hear me as he takes his hands off of my neck. I turn to look at him.

"The mutt. When it had me pined to the ground I noticed its eyes looked exactly like Blaise's. And when I hit him in the face with my axe a few nights ago" – the memory gives me a pang of nausea – "he had a scar in the center of his face – angled in the exact why I had hit him."

"Blaise had dark eyes right? So do bears… the scar could have just been from a recent fight." He makes it sound like I'm making this up, but I know what happened, and I know what I saw – I didn't imagine any of it.

"No. I would know my best friend's eyes, Harry. Besides, when I said his name the mutt kind of pulled off of me, like it understood."

"That's impossible."

"Is it? You said it yourself that the mutts are made by the Game Keepers. Maybe they used Blaise's body to genetically enhance him into a mutt."

He looks at me like I'm psycho. "…You've been passed out for too long…"

"Then explain why it didn't crush me into the ground when it could have with one more push. As soon as I said his name, the bear pulled away."

"Okay, but a few nights ago, Blaise seemed so focused on killing you. He almost did too. So why would that suddenly change while he's a mutt?"

I bite my lip and look away. "Whatever. I'm just telling you what happened." I look back up at him. "So what went on while I was out?"

"Nothing. It was kind of boring actually."

"Good. Although it would have nice if you said Goyle got killed. By the way, what happened to him during the mutt fight?"

"I saw him run off when _Blaise_ attacked you."

I don't know what makes him think I made this entire story up and it's kind of getting on my nerves. Even still, I keep my mouth shut. I only have a few more hours with him and I don't want to fight.

"We need more food. Can you stand? I won't leave you here by yourself while I go out hunting." Harry says, standing up and taking his spear off against the boulder.

"I'm still a bit shaky, but I can try." I reach over to grab my axe that's resting near our backpacks and use the boulder to help me stand. I stagger slightly at the pain in my neck and feel Harry grab my waist from behind to help me. I immediately feel my face flush up and I freeze, especially when his fingers graze my hips to support me. He laughs softly and I can feel his hot breath on the good side of my neck. It sends a chill up my spin. "You okay? You're suddenly tense."

I clear my throat before speaking so I don't squeak out of embarrassment. "I'm fine." I say, finding the small amount of strength and sanity I have left to stand on my feet fully. Gently, Harry lets me go as if I might fall over so he can catch me and bends down to pick up our backpacks.

"Alright, so I'm guessing the mutts are still roaming around the arena. The Games are getting close to end so they'll be trying to draw us together. Just stay alert." Harry says.

I look at him and gently pull the straps of my backpack up to my shoulders. "And Goyle, Marcus and Ron. Don't forget them." I almost forgot about Ron. I'm surprised that ginger is still alive. But as soon as I say his name, Harry's face goes straight with seriousness. "Right…" He says dully.

I say nothing more about it as if pressing the subject further will hurt him even more. Instead, I just follow him slowly into the woods trying to forget about the cuts on my neck. I almost forgot about Hermione and that memory is coming back to haunt me. If Harry and I are going to die I'd at least like him to know I didn't kill her intentionally. I try to force back a laugh at the thought. Like he'd actually believe that. I could tell myself I wouldn't kill anyone, but I did. I killed two people so far: one of them was forced on me and the other was an accident – a terrible accident. I groan and hold my head, picturing my axe in Blaise's face – then the mutt with the scar…

"You alright?" I hear Harry say. I look at him and move my hand away from my head.

"I've been better." I say in a hurt tone. We won't be around for much longer, so I shouldn't feel this down… but I do… every death I've seen keeps replaying over and over and over again in my head; It's makes me sick.

I let Harry walk father ahead of me as I suddenly feel dizzy, holding my head in pain and leaning against a tree to support my now trembling legs. I shudder, trying to force back the vomit in my throat.

Then I look down at my axe held in my right hand. What if I killed myself now? I have a weapon and I'm as good as dead anyway. I shake my head. Harry… I have to stay strong for Harry. However this is going to end I want to be there with him.

"Draco?" I hear Harry call me in the distance. I can kind of see him through a few trees. He must have kept walking and just realized I stopped.

I push away from the tree, trying to stand firmly, "Coming." I say dully, but I don't think he heard me.

I'm about to take a step forward when something makes me stop. My natural instinct tells me to stand my ground and fight, but right now I just want to break into a run. Something's moving quickly nearby but I can't pinpoint where. Suddenly I feel my back being thrashed against the tree I was just leaning on and I gasp so hard I feel like I might hack up a lung.

I manage to shake the blur from my eyes just for a second to see who just attacked me. It's_ Ron_… My whole body feels like needles. He's holding his arm against my throat, taking my breath away from screaming Harry's name for help. I grip his arm, trying to yank him off, but freeze when he uses his other hand to hold a knife up to my cheekbone. I have the strangest feeling he wants to cut out my eyes and I gag as he presses his arm harder.

He's a total mess. His jacket is ripped in several places – like claw marks. I'm guessing the mutts got him. The side of his face has a three ribbon scratch running down vertically, blood covering half of his face.

"You killed her!" He yells. At first I have no idea what he's talking about then Hermione's death comes back to me. My heart's hammering harder and harder in my chest as he only gets angrier.

I try to say _no_ but I can only manage a squeak.

"I heard Zabini talking to you before he died! You killed her, Malfoy! What did you do to her!?"

He heard him? What did he hear? Then I remember: _"Why should I take advice from a filthy little pure blood Death Eater? Have you forgotten that it was you who killed Hermione Granger?!_" My heart leaps at the memory. Weasley heard all of that. He was there that night, somewhere in the woods, watching and listening. If Harry hadn't found me after Blaise's death Ron would have surly killed me. This is bad – very bad.

My feet scrape the ground in agony, completely unable to breathe.

"TALK!" He yells. Well if you let me go, I'll tell you what happened. How does he expect me to answer him while he's choking me to death?

"G-Goyle…" I say breathlessly, straining my shaking fingers around his arm to give me air to speak.

Ron's teeth grit in anger and he press on me harder. I try to gasp but I can't even inhale. I feel my heart slowing down and I only dig my boots into the dirt in harder.

"LIAR!" He cuts my cheekbone gently and I shut my eyes in pain, "I'll kill you for what you did."

"Ron! No!" I hear Harry yell and suddenly the presser on my throat is gone. I drop to my knees, too weak to stand properly on my feet, gasping for air as I stare at the ground wide eyed in terror.

When I turn my head I see Harry standing in front of me, like he's protecting me. Weasley stands a few feet apart from him, eyes glued on Harry this time. "Harry?" He asks, making it sound like Harry betrayed him due to the shock in his tone. Ron's eyes narrow down at me. "Move. So I can kill him!" He tries to start towards me and I back up until I feel a tree pressing to my back.

Harry tries to block me more, aiming the point of his spear at Ron's chest making him stop in his tracks, knowing if he walks any farther the weapon will pierce right through him. He's looking at Harry with shock – petrified that Harry would ever aim a weapon at his best friend and even more surprised that he's doing it to protect a Death Eater. "Harry, what are you doing?! That's Malfoy you know!"

"I know exactly who I'm saving here, Ron. If you hurt him-"

"_Hurt him_!? I'll rip his insides out through his mouth after what he did!"

Harry turns his head over his shoulder to look at me. I jolt as I look up at him, pressing my back to the trunk of the tree harder. No, Ron, don't bring this up, please. What if Harry turns on me, now? He could do it – he could stab that spear right through me and right, now I fear that he will. I never thought I'd be afraid of someone I love, but right now the suspicion in Harry's eyes is terrifying me.

"Did?" Harry echoes, "Draco, what did you do?"

"I'll tell ya what he did! He killed Hermione, that's what!"

I shake my head slowly; wanting to scream the truth but for some reason my voice won't let me. I'm more concerned about the sudden fire in Harry's eyes. "What?" He says in a small voice, shock over taking him as he lowers his weapon.

"No…" I manage to say. "It wasn't-"

"He's a filthy liar!" Ron screams, pointing his knife at me. "This must have been a great opportunity for you, Malfoy! You finally got to take her life, did you!? After all these years-"

Harry snaps his head back to him "Ron, stop!" He cuts him off before turning his body around to face me. "Let him talk." But I can't stand up to face them properly – I'm terrified of Ron right now – of both of them – and I can hardly get my vocal cords to work.

"I let her go." I try to say. "Goyle… he forced me into the allayment to track down Harry and-"

"Harry too?!" Ron growls, "You were with the other Slytherins to kill Harry?!"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH WEASLEBEE!" I yell, jumping to my feet when I feel the sudden rush of fire hit me. I don't care what he wants to believe but never – never – will I let him get away with the thought that I wanted to kill Harry_. Ever._

I walk past Harry, going face to face with Ron. The shock on his face from my anger is priceless. "WHERE DO YOU GET THE GAWL TO TELL ME I'M A KILLER!?"

He stammers to speak. "If only you knew, Weasley… If only you knew what Goyle tried to put me through." I don't want him to feel sorry for me, and that's not the point I'm trying to prove. Honestly, I don't even want to feel sorry for myself. I feel like my problems are nothing compared to what Harry faced in his life. All I've come up against was losing my friends. Harry lost his whole family and to me that's greater than any of my issues.

Harry grabs my shoulder and I turn my head to face him. "What happened, Draco?" I can't ignore the anger and suspicion in his tone.

I sigh, "Goyle _used_ me." I say, shooting an evil glare at Ron hoping he'd choke on his last words he lashed out at me. God I hate him. "I was on my own until he and the other Slytherins found me. I tried to get away from him but he was going to kill Pansy if I didn't stay."

"Well, your heroic skills matched up perfectly for Parkinson, didn't they, blondie?" Ron sneers.

"Excuse me?" I say angrily.

"I saw her picture on the hovercraft the other night. You did a _great _job in saving her. Bravo for failure."

I blink my eyes open, the anger replaced with pain and I break eye contact. "Ron!" Harry growls. "That's enough!"

"Anyway…" I say dully, shaking the sound of Pansy's desperate cry for help out of my head. "That night Hermione found us while the others were asleep. I stayed look out so I was the only one who knew she was there. I tried to let her go before Goyle would wake up to catch her. She tried to get me to go with her but I refused, not wanting to leave Pansy."

Ron looks like he's about to object but Harry shoots him his green fire burnt eyes, and Ron shuts his mouth. "Goyle woke up and I told Hermione to run. Now everyone was after her and when Goyle had her surrounded he _forced_ me to take her life."

"So you did murder her?!" Ron shouts, proving he was right.

I nod weakly and look down, "Yes…" I can't lie to him. He really does deserve to know. Forced to or not, I still killed her.

"You little-"

"Hold on," Harry says, holding his hand up to keep Ron quiet. "You said Goyle forced you into killing her, right?"

I nod without speaking.

"You're not actually taking his side, are you, Harry?!" Weasley says.

"I'm trying to get this story straight, Ron! It does seem like something Goyle would

make him do, and Draco is _not_ a killer!"

"Harry… Our best friend for seven years was just murdered by this monster. And you're siding with the Death Eater?!"

I say nothing even though it hurts. I just shift uncomfortably. "He's _not_ a monster, Ron! Don't you ever-"

"Just get out of my way so I can rip his stomach open!" Ron growls, trying to push Harry aside to get to me, but Harry shoves him back roughly. Ron blinks and looks at him in shock.

"Harry-"

"You stay away from him…"

Ron says nothing, completely silenced by his own shock.

All this time I've been wondering how much Harry would hate me when he found out about Hermione's death. But even when his own best friend is standing in front of him heart broken, he still sticks by my side. I can't even help but be slightly alarmed by this.

"Ever since he found me I've had to watch him suffer by Goyle's torment. I'm _not_ letting you hurt him too."

He presses his back against me, and I put my hand on his shoulder to reassure him that I'm there.

"If you want to kill him… you'll have to kill me too."

* * *

AN: Well, Ron made his apperence, finally. Anywho, I hope this is good. I thought this one would need more editing, but to me it seemed fine, so I figured I'd just leave it here. So enjoy! Now, back to the Walking Dead Marathon :D New season premiere tonight, YAY!


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 – Giving Up Friendship for Love

Ron stares at Harry in awe and for a second I actually think he's serious about killing both of us. I don't know what makes me think this, but something in his eyes tells me he won't let this go easily. Shockingly, he straightens up his back and tries to look calm. He must be pretty tense about this since I can vaguely see the scratches on his cheek pulsating with rage even though he's trying to hide his anger.

His eyes shoot at me, "I knew there was something going on between you two." He looks at Harry, "How could you do this, Harry? He's a filthy snake! And you're acting like he's more important than us – Hermione!"

"Ron, I've been to Hell and back with him. You can believe what you want, but I _know_ Draco didn't kill Hermione on his own free will. I see how scared he is of Goyle – he scares me too! I can only imagine what he's put Draco through that day."

"So that makes it right!? He still killed her! He put himself before Hermione, and he knows it!"

"No, I didn't." I speak up. "I put Harry before myself, and you should know _that._" If I didn't kill Hermione I never would have made it to Harry and he probably would have died anyway since he was attacked by a mutt when I found him. I know Ron has no idea what I mean by this because he has that famous stupid look of his on his face.

"You be quiet." He says, pointing his knife at me like I'm scum. "I'll still kill you, even if Harry is in the way."

"So then you would kill me?" Harry asks, sounding a bit hurt.

"….No…. you know what I mean. Harry, you've hated Malfoy all these years. Why would you suddenly have feelings for him? After everything he's done! He's a Death Eater for God's sake!"

"I'm not just realizing this now, Ron. I think I've had feelings for him the day I first met him… I just didn't realize that until sixth year."

Ron rolls his eyes. "Please. It's like you can care less about Hermione."

"That's not true! Don't you dare throw her death in my face like I wanted it to happen! It's not my fault-"

"You're right." Ron's eyes trail to me, "It was his." I lower my head, trying to avoid his gaze. I feel like a criminal. But Maybe I am – Ron's only looking at me the way anyone would look at a Death Eater.

"Ron, you think I asked for this to happen – these Games? I miss her too – I really do…" Harry says, his voice breaking, like he's about to break down but holds it back. He shuts his eyes briefly to calm himself down before he continues. "Look, I know you loved her," Ron looks at him with sympathy and mourning. I feel a pang of regret and guilt wash over me. Maybe I should have let Hermione go. But if I did, would it have even mattered? Sooner or later she would have died anyway… just like Pansy did. Harry takes a quivery sounding breath and I press my side next to his to comfort him. I notice the lining of his throat when he swallows hard, trying to hold back his emotion. I feel terrible for him – I really do. He's managed to stay strong this whole time and even now he's holding it together better than I would have expected. "And I'm sorry, Ron. I'm so… so sorry." He says slowly, trying to keep his tone straight, "But right now you and Draco are all I have left. Please, If not for the both of us, than do this for me. Just let Draco go…"

Ron looks at him uneasily but Harry's not letting his guard down. He gently pushes me behind him and presses his back into me as if Ron might try to force us apart. "Please…" Harry says helplessly. I've never heard him sound so desperate. "I love him… And I don't know how much more pain I can stand to see him in." He pauses and lowers his head, "And even me… I… I don't know how much more I can take."

Ron takes a while but he eventually sighs and backs up. "Okay… For you then, Harry…" He looks at me, "But keep in mind, _Dragon_, this doesn't make us friends!"

"Oh, believe me when I say, that's a miracle." I sneer.

Harry moves away and turns around to face me. His hand goes straight to my face where Ron cut my cheek. I look up at him in grief, noticing a thin line of tears running down his dirty and slightly blood spotted face. Still he manages a soft smile, sniffling softly, "You alright?" He says as he whips away a bit of blood from my cut.

I blink, "Are _you_ alright?" He smiles softly in amusement and kisses my forehead.

"Hang in there for me. Okay?" He sounds broken and the way he ignores my question only hints to me that he's not okay. And how could he be? After everything that's happened…

I hug him and press my face to his chest, "I will if you do."

When we pull back I see Ron by our sides and I make sure I see him put his knife in his belt. "So, what now?" He asks.

"We were hunting before you came along. We could use an extra pair of hands. You want to come?" Harry says.

"Sure." Ron says suspiciously, glaring at me but addressing Harry. I shift slightly and press my side to Harry's, feeling him immediately grab my hand.

"Then let's go." Harry says, keeping the lead of the team. I try to stay by this side not wanting anything to do with Ron – I don't feel like listening to him knock my name and call me a killer. Because if that's what he _really_ thinks of me, then he has no idea who I really am.

I'm trying to stay out of Ron's sight, but he looks like he's trying to get a glimpse at the scratches on my neck. "Mutts?" He asks. My first instinct is to cover up my neck with my hand, hoping he'd get the hint and not ask any more questions. I just don't answer him.

"You know, Malfoy, I'm surprised you're still alive. You're not the type to fight for anything."

Suddenly Harry stops short, but I ignore him even if his intention is to cut off the outburst I'm about to lash out at Weasley. He says nothing, and I see him look around the clearing carefully, spear tightly gripped in his right hand, like he's preparing for a fight. Probably saw a rabbit or something…

"Clearly you don't know me, now do you?" I say.

"Well, I've seen the dark side of you for seven years, so…"

"Well, maybe you should stick around a little longer."

Ron scoffs. "Like you're any different from your father! My dad grew up with him, he knows the shame of your name. Don't act like you're a softie."

I try to fight the back the urge to stick my axe in his throat. Instead I just grip the handle of my weapon tightly, feeling the wood digging in the bandages on my hand. "I'm nothing like him! You'll do well to remember that, Weaslebee."

"Guys…" I hear Harry say nervously, a slight quiver to his voice. But I still ignore him.

"Prove it! Prove to me, you were _forced_ to kill her!"

"I didn't-"

"GUYS!"

"What!?" Ron and I say in unison, turning to face Harry.

"We're being followed…" He says as his eyes shift around the clearing like he's looking for our spy between the trees and bushes.

I hold my axe up to my waist and stand by his side. Now I can hear the rustling in the distance too. Only it doesn't sound like someone or something might want to attack. I know it seems weird, but something about the movement sounds like someone is either hurt or seriously weak. The rustling is hesitant, like someone is limping.

"Harry…" I whisper nervously, turning my head to see Ron standing his ground on the opposite side of Harry when the movement suddenly changes in that direction.

Harry doesn't answer and pushes me behind him… like he's protecting me… after all, it might be Goyle trying to trick us.

Then suddenly I hear dry gagging sounds, "Stop." A raspy voice calls out. My eyes blink wide. I recognize that voice. That's Marcus. "Harry, we gotta go." I say, feeling my heart beating faster.

"We're not going anywhere…" Ron growls.

"But you don't-" My words are cut off by a gasp when Marcus limps out from behind a tree coming from Ron's direction. He looks… Almost ill – seriously ill. Ron's about to attack him, but something about Marcus tells me he doesn't want any trouble. Not to mention that petrified look on his face when Ron viciously pulls out his knife.

"No, Ron, wait!" I yell as I lower my axe to pull Ron back by his arm. He tries to force me off and looks at me like I'm nuts. "Are you crazy!?" Maybe I am, this could be a trick, but then again it might not be. I can't be sure and I don't anyone to do anything until I do.

I glare into his eyes evilly to let him know I'm not fooling around. "You filthy snake…" He says through gritted teeth, slamming me against a tree to make me let go of him.

Marcus looks terrified and hesitantly takes a step back.

"Ron, let him go!" Harry growls viciously, tugging Ron away from me.

"Why?! He's one of _them_," Ron growls, gesturing his knife to Marcus like Slytherins are nothing more than demons. "Come on, Harry…"

Harry's eyes shift over to Marcus and he gives a slight jolt at Harry's stare. "Something's off about him… Don't kill him yet…"

"_Yet?!" _Ron echoes.

Harry ignores him and slowly walks up to Marcus, keeping a relatively safe distance. "Tell us what you want and _maybe_ we'll let you go."

I move on over to Harry, holding my axe tightly. "W-Water." Marcus says almost with no voice. Harry and I share looks. I want to tell Marcus there's a river, about a five minute walk from here, but apparently Harry has a different idea since he's reaching into his backpack, an uneasy look on his face. "Harry?" I question cautiously. Then he pulls his hand out of his backpack and my heart lurches, even Ron looks tense.

In Harry's hand are the leaves – the one's I found only for Pansy to tell me they were poisonous. Harry took them from me because he didn't trust me with anything deadly. I forgot he was still carrying them around.

Marcus looks at him, a questionable look on his face. Harry holds his hand out him so he can take the leaves. Marcus doesn't move and just holds his eyes onto Harry's waiting for an explanation.

"You wanted water." Harry begins a slight shakiness to his voice, "Leaves are the only water source and these might be the only ones that have enough water in them to make you last until you find a river."

Now that I think about it the color does look strange on these leaves. It's not like a normal green – the color is so dark that the green almost looks black. I'm not good at knowing different types of leaves or anything related to wildlife, but I'm guessing the darker the green, the more water they have? Maybe that's what the Game Keepers want us to believe at least. But that could just be the poison giving off a weird color. I mean, Marcus can just pick any random leaf off of the ground and eat that. But he's isn't that smart. Plus he looks far to panicked to even think straight.

Harry holds his eye contact on him to show he's not lying, even though it's clear to me that he is. Hesitantly, Marcus steps forward and takes the poisonous leaves from Harry's hand.

"These will help me?" Marcus says as he steps back.

I notice Harry swallow hard and he nods uneasily.

I'm a bit confused as to why Marcus even trusts Harry. There's no mistaking the anxiety in his green eyes, but I assume Marcus is just far too desperate to care. Maybe he's giving up? It seems like the only other option right now, anyway.

Ron's head shifts from Harry to Marcus, a look of shock on his stupid scratched face, like he can't believe what Harry's doing. I know what this feels like – taking a life, even if it's just a trick. For Harry's sake, I press my side to his to reassure him that I'm there for him. He feels tense at first, but I slowly feel him relax.

"Don't look." I whisper to him. But he does.

Marcus pulls one of the leaves off of the steam suspiciously and bites off half of it; like he's taste testing it to make sure it's good enough. After he swallows, nothing happens, so he eats two more, still a bit uneasy. I start to get nervous and now I'm questioning if these things are even bad for you. I'm about to take a step back, thinking Marcus is perfectly well now and will lunge out to attack. But then I suddenly hear him wheeze and see him hold onto his throat. His eyes get wide, as if they might explode due to whatever intensity he's feeling and is face turns into a ghostly white. He looks like he's suffocating.

Harry jerks slightly against me, but doesn't turn away. Marcus uses a tree to support him, digging his nails painfully into the bark until I can see some blood drip from his fingertips. I wince at the sight. He coughs hard and finally hits the ground, hacking up blood, spraying the green grass in crimson. Ron looks away but Harry and I can't, and for some reason, I feel horrible for him. But his death doesn't have an effect on me like Pansy's or Blaise's did. I know he deserves this, and I feel guilty for saying that, but, again, another friend is dying in front of me. Even though part of me is happy he's out of the way, I can't help but feel slightly hurt.

I bit my lip nervously as I watch Marcus turn over on his back, trying to breathe, but ends up choking on his own blood. His body spazzes until he eventually goes completely limp. His head tilts to the side and blood oozes from his mouth, nose and eyes forming a puddle around the side of his face.

The cannon makes me jump, but I don't take my eyes off of him. "Bye, Marcus…" I say softly to his body. Four more Tributes left… Just four…

Then I remember Harry and look up at him. I know he's trying to hide his emotion, but I can tell he's shocked by the way his throat is moving when he swallows. He starts to get tense again and I gently grab his hand.

I look down at his spear and see him grip the thing so tight that his knuckles turn white. I know he wasn't expecting Marcus' death to be that intense – I wasn't either.

"Harry?" I ask cautiously so as not to startle him. He doesn't answer and suddenly the wind starts to pick up.

"We need to go." Ron says. "The hovercraft will be here any second."

Harry's silent, still not taking his eyes off of Marcus' body. I grip his hand tighter and talk for him. "We'll go back to the boulder. I think we all need some rest."

I see Ron nod at me, even though it kills him to agree. I try to pull Harry away by his hand and finally he loosens up, turning his back to the blood bath leaving the hovercraft to take Marcus' body away.

"What about Goyle?" Ron asks, looking over at me as we walk.

I feel a shiver run down my spine. "We'll worry about him later."

"How much later?" Ron growls, "You can't run from him forever, Malfoy!"

"Weasley, enough!" I say, immediately seeing the shock on his face that follows. Clearly he can make out the slight fear in my tone. "Right now, think about Harry! I'll figure something out for Goyle, okay, just shut up!"

When we get back to the boulder the sun is already setting. I can't help but feel a bit suspicious about this since it seems quiet early.

"Why is it getting dark now?" Harry asks, as he sits up against the boulder, still a bit out of it.

"Probably in a hurry to end this. I wouldn't blame them." Ron says, stepping off of the rock when he sees Harry come out of his shock as if knowing he's in good hands with me. Which I find kind of strange.

"Where are you going?" I say. Ron just looks at me blankly. "I can't stay here. I don't want these Games coming down to just the three of us. It'll be better if I'm on my own."

"Wait, Ron – you can't leave!" Harry says, getting to his feet.

Ron lightly smiles at him, a look of sadness in his eyes, "I won't make it either way, Harry. I'll give Hermione a hug for you." I see Harry shaking slightly, confusion and pain on his face.

"But-" Harry shakes his head. His green eyes are getting glassy and his voice is breaking again. "No-"

Now, even Ron looks miserable. His bottom lip quivers and, to hide his emotion, he grabs Harry and pulls him into a tight, brotherly hug. I shift slightly and press my back to the boulder, hugging my legs to my chest. All I can picture right now is Blaise. If I could bring him back, all I would want is to give him a proper good-bye. I miss him…

"Take care of my sister when you get home." I hear Ron whisper.

"I promise." Harry says shakily when they pull apart. "Be careful, Ron." He pushes Harry's bangs out of the way so that his lightning scar is now visible and nods with doubt on his face, "See you around, kido."

Ron turns to walk away and I jump to my feet, taking a step after him, "Ron." I say, and he turns around to face me a bit of anger on his face, "I'm – I'm sorry… about Hermione… about everything. But, Ron, I swear I didn't kill her on purpose. If I could bring her back I swear I would – you loved her. I know sorry isn't enough, but," I sigh, "I just wish she were here right now…"

Shockingly the anger on his face ebbs, snaking his mouth into a half smile. He walks over to me and puts a hand on my shoulder. "I should apologize too. I shouldn't have accused you, Draco. I'm sorry."

I smile back and nod curtly. "Just do me a favor and take care of this one for me." He nods his head to Harry and when I look at him, I notice his sad eyes looking at Ron and me. They're shiny with tears.

"I will." I say, turning back to Ron. "I'll do anything to keep him safe." He pats my shoulder, pleased with my answer. His smile widens sadly and he finally turns to walk away.

Harry watches him leave and I feel my heart drop when I see the pain on his face. Once Ron is out of sight, Harry turns to the boulder and sits down against it, "Harry." I say softly, going over to sit down beside him. I wrap my arms around him and he buries his face in my shoulder.

"He'll be okay. Either way, he's going to be okay. You know Ron, he's tough." I say calmly. I know he's hurt and I actually feel my heart aching for him. I just want him to know I'll never leave him, especially now.

We stay in each other's arms for a bit until I feel Harry pull away, his face slightly red from crying. I half smile and put my bandaged hand over his cheek and gently whip some tears away from under his eye. He puts his hand over mine and reluctantly takes it off his face. "Draco…" He says softly, grabbing the back of my head and pressing his forehead to mine. "Don't ever leave me…"

I wish it were that easy…

Still, I try to look convincing and smile lightly, but sadly, gently holding the back of his neck with my other hand. "Never." I say softly. Now, I feel tears burning the backs of my own eyes.

"Harry." I say, suddenly shaking.

He pulls back a bit from me and I look into his eyes, hoping to find an escape. "I'm scared…" It's just hitting me. What if Ron dies before one of us? That'll leave Harry and me alone to fight Goyle. Yes, he'll be outnumbered, but strangely, I don't think that will stop him from killing us both. And if Goyle does die, then it'll just be Harry and me remaining to fight each other. No, I won't kill him and I know he won't kill me. But they have to have their victor. Like it or not, they have to. But the thought alone of facing Goyle one on one… it scares the hell out of me. That evil monster – he'll really give the viewers a show they will never forget.

I owe a lot to Harry for making me last this long in the Games. If I didn't find him I would have been dead already. He saved my life so many times. I honestly can't make it anywhere without him. Fear holds me back too much. I'm a coward, I'll admit that. But it's the only way I get by.

My thoughts are cut off when Harry shifts, pushing my legs apart and pressing his knee between my thighs. I let out a soft huffing sound, feeling my heart jump in my chest, and let him lean over me, pressing my back into the boulder. He tilts my chin up to face him, making me stare into those beautiful green eyes of his. "Don't be. I told you we'll find a way through this. If not, we go down together, because I'm not leaving you either, Draco."

I shake my head, my eyes watery with tears that blur my vision. "I can't." My voice comes out in a half squeak.

"You can, don't say that. It's not over yet."

I grip his shirt, pulling him closer as he presses on me. I just need something, anything to take my mind off of this. I kiss him hard and feel one of his hands on my chest, sliding under my jacket, pressing my body harder into the rock behind me. My heart hammers against his palm and I know he can feel it by the soft smirk of amusement that slides onto his lips.

His other hand moves to the back of my head, gripping my hair between his fingers, pulling my head back. He shifts down, ending our kiss and moves to peck my neck lightly. I get a slight chill up my spin and moan softly into his ear. I hear him groan back in reply, feeling his hot breath run down my neck.

"Harry…" I breathe. He doesn't answer and starts to slide my jacket off my shoulder. I gasp, gripping my right arm, feeling the sleeve begin to slide down. "Harry!" I say a more jumpy.

He pulls back, "Right. You're neck. I forgot."

I shake my head. Although remembering about the mutt scratches on my neck starts to make them burn. "Not that. We're kind of on TV right now…" I grit my teeth so no one watching can read my lips, "My dad's watching."

Harry's face turns red and he pulls himself off of me. "Rii-iiight."

"Yeah." I say with a slight laugh, finding his reaction a bit amusing.

"Too bad we're in the Games then…" He says mischievously with a smirk, eyeing me up and down. I blink and shut the slight gap between my legs when his eyes go down farther. He laughs and I press my hand on his chest, shoving him back a bit playfully. "You pig!" I can't hide the smile on my face, though.

His smirk grows more into a sweeter smile and I watch as he takes his backpack and positions it to a different area on the rock. He gets down on his back and uses the backpack as a pillow. I follow his lead and lay down next to him, resting my head on his chest. His arm wraps around me, pulling me closer.

"Of all the nights in this hell hole, this is the best one." I say softly. Aside from Ron leaving, and Marcus dying, but I'm bringing that up.

Suddenly the anthem begins to play, making Harry and I look up to see Marcus' picture. A soft sigh escapes Harry and I cuddle up into him. "If it's any consolation, what you did was pretty clever." I say as the anthem begins to stop, bringing back the sound of the crickets and slight chill of the wind.

"I couldn't think of anything else. If I told him he was close to the river he would have got back enough strength to kill us. I just… I don't think I could see anyone else hurt you."

I say nothing and just wrap my arm around his chest in response not really knowing how to answer him with words.

"Well," I begin to say slowly, "you were hurt by many people in your life, Harry. It kills me to see it happening all over again."

He turns over onto his side, making extra room on his backpack for me to rest my head on. I shift on my side too, to face him. I wrap my arm around his shoulder while he wraps his around my waist, secretly sliding his hand up the back of my shirt and jacket. I glare up at him. "Harry…" I snarl gritting my teeth.

"What?" He says with a laugh. "I'm not doing anything." His hand is warm against my skin, and I won't lie when I say the caress feels good. But we're on TV… My dad's watching… I can't help but feel _slightly _awkward about this.

"Well, just don't get out of hand and try to get some sleep." I say.

He laughs softly and kisses my forehead. "Okay."

I yawn and press my forehead to his chest, hugging him closer. I've never felt this relaxed in the Games. This is probably the first.

Just lying here, being wrapped in his arms makes me feel stronger.

It makes me feel safe…

* * *

AN: I was planning on posting this on Friday, but I couldn't wait anymore XD. However, I need study time these next few days. So no more Chapters until Saturday at the latest. I know that's not a long way off, but oh well. This week has just been hecktic.

And thank you to all my new Followers! I hope you like the story so far! :3


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22 – Coming Together by Fire

Something tickles my neck as I begin to come out of my sleep. I shut my eyes tight with a groan, feeling the light of a new day of murder blinding me. I must have rolled off of Harry during the night because now my left arm is numb from using it as a pillow for probably most of the night. When I stretch my right hand out to look for him, I grab nothing but rock. I groan softly, too lazy to get up and look for him so I just lay here.

Although, I still can't ignore the feeling of someone breathing over me. "Harry, stop, it's too early for this." I groan tiredly as I shift over to my other side. He won't stop, but now I'm hearing a light rumble of growling. Like a lion purring from the back of its throat.

"What?" I hear him groan sleepily from nearby, "I'm not even near you, go back to sleep." I get an unpleased jump in my stomach. Wait… this isn't Harry. Now, I smell smoke, like a fire.

Whoa, wait. _Smoke?!_

My eyes shoot open, and shift around frantically to find the wildfire. But there is no fire, not even a spark of flame around. I swallow hard, trying to keep myself calm. It feels like something – or someone – is staring me in the face, but I'm too afraid to look. Taking a deep, silent breath, I dig my nails into the rock beneath me and turn my head in the direction the smell of smoke was coming from, even though I can't brace myself enough for what I might find, but I'll have to look eventually. Suddenly I feel my heart in my throat and my stomach turn to water. My eyes grow wide when I find out what has actually been panting over me this whole time.

In front of me is a_ dragon_. Not _me_, I mean an actual _dragon_. And its gold, evil eyes are looking right at me as if it can see right through me, searching for something nonexistent. Its skin is a ghostly white causing its scales to shine in the morning sun light. It has two long horns atop its head and two small ones at the tip of its nose, like tiny daggers. Smoke is emanating from its nostrils and sides of its mouth as it starts to snarl, showing long, sharp teeth, even longer and sharper than the mutts'. I'm completely frozen staring up at this thing, afraid to make any sudden movements.

It's not attacking yet, but just standing here looking at me as if waiting for me to make the first move. I slowly sit up in a sitting position, using my hands as an anchor behind my back to prop me up. I don't take my eyes off this monster, not wanting to know what it'll do to me if I break contact.

"H-Harry…." I say nervously. Quickly my eyes shift to my left. He's still sleeping besides me with his back towards me. "Harry, wake up…"

"Why?" He groans.

The dragon inches closer stretching its lips out into a wider, fiercer snarl, lolling back its forked tongue in rage. I carefully pull back my head up as it moves. It's so close that the smell of the smoke is making my eyes water.

"We… We got a huge problem… literally…" I whisper, trying not to move my mouth as much.

"What kind of problem?" He asks, turning over slightly. The dragon snaps it head to Harry as he moves, and the loud growl of this reptile makes him jump.

His green eyes shoot open in the same shock mine did.

"WHOA, SHI -"

His words are drowned out when the dragon outstretches its folded wings, lifts up its white head and lets out an ear piercing roar. This thing's roar is so loud and defining that my first instinct is to grunt in pain and grip my head in agony, feeling like my brain might pop in my skull.

"We need to go! Now!" I try to yell over dragon's roar.

I look at Harry and he nods, quickly grabbing his backpack and spear. I follow his lead and grab my stuff and just when we're about to run for whatever little life we have left, the dragon brings its head down and looks right at me, catching my gaze. It feels like its gold eyes are made of fire and they're trying to burn my body to ashes.

It opens its jaws wider and for a second everything else becomes silent. _"Malfoy. Run."_ My heart almost stops. I could have sworn this dragon just said my name, but its mouth wasn't moving in a speaking motion.

"What…?" I say to it, my voice coming out in a whisper. Finally reality snaps back and I feel Harry tug my arm.

"What do you mean, _what_?! We gotta go!"

The dragon pulls its massive white head back and opens its jaws wide. I feel fear strike threw me when I see a small ball of fire form in its throat as more black smoke steams from its nostrils.

"DRACO, COME ON!" He pulls my arm hard enough for me to get my legs working.

As soon as my feet leave the rock, I hear the hiss of fire emanating from the dragon's mouth just behind us. Looking over my shoulder quickly I see the arena becoming engulfed in flames. The dragon's gone, but I can hear its roar echoing somewhere in the distance. It probably took off in the sky somewhere.

I turn my head back in front of me trying to keep up with Harry and forgetting that voice I heard.

"Where's the dragon!?" Harry tries to yell over the roar of the flames.

"I don't know, just keep running!"

The fire is catching up until it's surrounding us from all angels. The black smoke is becoming overpowering and getting caught up in my lungs and throat, even blocking my vision.

Behind me, I hear a loud cracking sound, like wood slowly being snapped in two. Spinning around, my eyes immediately go to the nearest flaming tree. It's coming down on us, forcing Harry and I to jump out of its way so it doesn't crush us and/or burn us to death.

I cough and try to shake the ash and blur from my eyes to look for Harry. "HARRY!?" I call for him. I look up to see him on the other side of this fallen, flaming tree that's burning to death in front of me. There's no way to get to him since the flames are growing even taller, completely dividing us from each other.

"Harry!" I yell, blinking the soot out of my eyes, hoping he can hear me.

"I'm okay!" I hear him yell back. I can kind of see him through the growing flames and it doesn't look injured.

"JUST GO! I'LL LOOK FOR YOU LATER!"

"No…" I won't leave him. I'd rather burn to death than get separated from him again.

"DRACO, GO, NOW!" I see his green eyes shoot up to the sky and now I can tell exactly why he's telling me to run. I hear the dragon's roar getting closer and look up to see it swooping back down into the fiery, hell like arena.

I skid a bit as I try to run. I can hardly breathe, or even see anything. My breathing is coming out raspy and coughing will only shorten my breath.

I don't turn around, but I can tell the dragon's gaining fast. It sounds like its pushing over trees like pillars just to make room for itself to even navigate its large body around the place.

Maybe I can try to confuse it – throw it off course somehow.

Trying to dodge these flames isn't easy either – just when you think you have a clear path more fire grows and blocks you from running elsewhere. But maybe I can use that as a diversion.

I keep running straight, feeling the rumble of the dragon, rocking the area like an earthquake. Its claw grazes my neck, but it doesn't feel like it scratched me. Even still, I know it's very close.

_Keep going straight, don't stop. Don't pay attention to what's around you, just run!_

I know there are flames at every angle and a massive dragon trying to kill me on my tail, but the path ahead is clear right now. I force my legs to move faster even though the smoke is making me suffocate, like I'm trapped under sand. But I have either a really brave or really stupid idea that just might work. So I keep running.

Finally, my path gets blocked by flames – which was what I was hoping to happen – and I skid in the dirt to turn to my right which is somewhat clear of fire, but just clear enough to get through unharmed. The dragon bellows in pain, sliding right into the flames ahead when it tries to copy me and turn at random, only its weight is too heavy to gravitate on an angle.

Suddenly I hear the cannon over the crackling of fire and stop by instinct, my eyes wide and my heart hammering. "HARRY!" I scream; my voice barely audible because of the smoke in my lungs. No, it can't be him. He's survived a fire before… He can do it again… Right? But now, who will catch me if I'm about to fall into it this time?

"No, Harry, please. Don't leave me yet." I say under my breath.

I can hear the dragon again and spin around and see it walking up to me slowly, anger in its eyes after the trick I pulled on it. Although, it's completely unharmed by the flames it just slid into. I can't go anywhere this time. I try, but there's a giant fire breathing reptile standing above me, plus I'm surrounded by smoke and flames. I'm in my own little corner of Hell right now.

I stagger is panic, and try to back up, but not much. The dragon inches closer until its front legs are by either side of my body. It's standing above me, just looking down at me. I take a step back only to trip over my own foot, stumbling out of panic, and land on my back into the ash flooded ground.

Looking up at this monster in terror, I'm frozen by fear, either thinking this thing will tear my body in two with its own mouth, or getting burnt to death. Neither one of those deaths seem like a good way to go.

Now this thing only looks angrier and opens its mouth, a small ball of fire forming in its throat again. I yell hoarsely and shut my eyes, turning my head away, and pulling my arm in front of my face, "STOP, DON'T KILL ME!"

Shockingly, the arena sounds quiet. I must be dead… but I'm not burning... or having my internal organs being ripped out. Slowly, I pull my arm down from my face and open my eyes. The flames around me are dying down on their own, like the Game Keepers are controlling it – they probably are.

Then I look up at the dragon. It's still there, standing above me, but its mouth is shut and it has a sort of look about it that almost makes it look like its smiling. Smoke is still flaring from its nostrils but not nearly as much as it was ten minutes ago. Slowly, and cautiously I get to my feet. The dragon moves its head, hunching its long white neck so it can face me at eye level.

Something starts to relax inside of me and I can't stop staring at this creature above me. It's not trying to kill me, so that's good, though still a bit suspicious. But there's something about its domineer and face that reminds me of Sasha. Nervously, I reach a hand out to its double horned, white nose and watch as it presses its snout to my palm. I flinch slightly, but remain still.

"You said my name before…" I say to it. "Didn't you?"

It nods as it pulls its head away from my hand.

Then it steps back and I see its tail form into a cloud of black smoke that soon evaporates into the air. It's not only the dragons' tail, though. Soon half its body becomes consumed in black smoke. It's just like the very first mutt that Harry killed.

It's still smiling at me with a look of confidence on its face. It's like it's trying to give me hope. Still, all I can think of is Sasha when I look at this dragon. I don't know why, just for some reason I can.

The dragon eventually evaporates in the air completely, like nothing ever happened. The arena is destroyed. A lot of knocked down, burnt, and broken trees. This only gives more space to this hell hole making it easy for Goyle to find me.

Then I remember Harry and snap my back straight at the thought.

Just when I'm about to yell his name in panic I hear a voice that makes me gasp. "You can talk to dragons?"

I spin around to see Harry limping over to me from behind a black smoked stained tree. He's covered in soot and smoke… I probably am too judging by the sleeves of my jacket.

I feel my heart lurch, suddenly and grip my right arm. Good… It's still there… Not my arm, I mean what's under my sleeve is still there…

"Harry!" I breathe in relief, a smile snaking on my lips as I run into his arms. "You're alive! I heard the cannon…"

"So did I and then I ran to find you!" he says, embracing me tightly. "I was so worried, Draco."

He buries his face into my neck, and for a minute, I feel like we'll never let go of each other. That is until I think of the dragon again and remember what Harry said when he found me just now. I pull away to look at him in his green eyes. "What did you just say about the dragon a few moments ago?" I ask hoarsely, still feeling the smoke in my throat.

"…You were talking to it…" He says in an obvious sort of tone. I'm guessing he was watching behind the tree most of the time.

"Well, yeah. I did say something to it."

"But it wasn't English, Draco." Wasn't English? What's he think that I know other languages? "At least, I didn't understand you." He adds.

"How could you not have understood me? I can't speak anything else."

"Well, you know how I can talk to snakes?"

I nod "Maybe you can talk to dragons!"

I look at him blankly. "But… all I said to it was-"

"That you heard it say your name."

"Yes… so-"

"You understood the dragon, and the dragon understood you. Believe me, I was just as confused when Ron told me I spoke Parseltongue second year." Suddenly his face goes straight at the mention of Ron. I quickly try to change the subject. "Okay, so, if I can talk to dragons-"

"And you can."

"Right. I _can _talk to dragons… So… Does this have a name? Like, all languages have names, right? Is there a name for this?"

Harry's eyes shift downward unknowingly and he shrugs, "I dunno. I've never knew or even heard of other wizards that can talk to dragons. You might make the history books on this one, Draco."

I try not to laugh, still thinking the idea of "Dragon language". It seems impossible. I'm nothing special, so why would I have a special quality, like this?

"Very funny, Potter. But what did it even sound like?" I say.

"It was kind weird. Like you were speaking gibberish but your voice was hard and raspy. Is it okay to say I found it kind of sexy?"

I smirk at the devious look on his face, "As long as it's okay for me to say I find speaking Parseltongue sexy."

He half-laughs, "Fair enough! So now what? The arena is destroyed. What do we do now?"

I open my mouth to speak, when suddenly the arena gets dark – dark enough for Ron's picture to appear along with the faint sound of the anthem. I look up at his picture in sympathy, and then look at Harry. He looks broken, but I know he knew this would happen.

Now, that just leaves Harry, Goyle… and me…

I look at Harry boldly, even though I'm terrified, a bit of anger on my face. Not at him – all that anger inside of me is directed towards Goyle – all of it.

"We end this."

* * *

AN: So I kind of hinted that this was going to happen. You didn't think I would just give Draco a big name and be done with it did you? I had to make it more intresting XD.

Anyway, I'm sorry for taking so long to update and also for killing off Ron. LAWL! Midterms are over for me, so now I can write.

So, three more Tibutes left. Who do you think is going to win? Harry, Draco or Goyle? You can guess but I'm the only one who actually knows ;D. Brace yourselves people, the ending might shock you. ENJOY


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 – End of a Hero

Harry looks at me uneasily and I know he's scared. I try to look braver then how I actually feel for his sake, which is pretty cowardly at the moment. I mean, Goyle can just be a few yards away, hiding somewhere ready to stab me in the back because he's too afraid to face me one on one. Quite frankly, I'm scared to face him too. But at least I admit to myself that I'm a coward.

Harry sighs softly and looks down. I can see him shaking. "Harry…" I say softly, like Goyle might be listening in from nearby. I wrap my arms around his shivering body and immediately feel him hug me tightly. I know this is probably hard, especially for him. Just last year he was going off to face Voldemort to die… now he's doing it again. He knows what dying feels like when it's being casted by a spell, but this isn't the wizarding world. Getting stabbed to death would most likely hurt – I would know… I wasn't just imagining Pansy screaming when her heart got torn out. The thought makes my own heart feel like it's being ripped out of my chest.

"Remember the plan…" I say near his ear. "If we're the last two-"

"We go down together. I still have some leaves left."

We pull back and I nod, swallowing hard when I think of how intense Marcus' death was when he ate those leaves.

"Right." I say hoarsely, "We go together…" I lean in close to his face and grab his hands into mine. "I love you. I really do."

His eyes get glassy and he releases my hands quickly to wrap his arms around me. "I love you too." His voice is breaking and I can tell he's either crying or trying to hold back.

I sallow hard, trying to stay strong for him, but it's not as easy as it sounds… "We'll be okay…" I say. "I promise, Harry, in the end, everything will be okay."

I feel him nod along with the slight quiver of his shoulders.

"We need to go…" My voice is hardly audible, even for me. But Harry seems to have heard since he pulls back with a curt nod.

His breathing is silent but I can tell by the heavy rise of his chest that he's bracing himself for what will happen in the next few minutes. I bite the inside of my lip and tighten my hand around my axe. I almost forgot I was holding it this entire time – even during the whole dragon episode. Not that I would need this thing or anything, since I'd probably be too afraid to hit Goyle with it after my incident with Blaise. His half sliced face throws a gory image in my head and I shut my eyes to try and forget it; fighting back the nausea. Blaise, Pansy… I need you both right now. Please, someone help me, I can't do this. Goyle he's – _okay calm down just calm down_… However this ends, at least it'll be over with. Whatever pain I feel or whatever Goyle decides to put me through can never compare to what I've seen these past few weeks.

"Where do you think Goyle is?" Harry asks as we start walking in any direction.

I take a second to think. "The Cornucopia, maybe? He'll be hiding somewhere where he can get a view of everything, but now that the arena is completely open and burnt down by the fire, he can be anywhere. Although, it won't be easy to see much in the dark." My voice is so quivery right now, but I can't help it. It's not because I'm about to cry, because quite frankly, I'm far too scared to even manage a tear.

"I feel like he'd be hiding in a more concealed area. Because, think about it, he's going to want and sneak up on us right? He won't be able to do that here where there are hardly any living trees to hide behind. There must be a place where the fire hasn't hit."

"But… If we're concealed by trees then… he'd just kill us from behind…"

Harry looks at me uneasily, his green eyes shining with worry. "We can't run from him forever, Draco." He has a point, but I'm so afraid of Goyle. Throughout this whole thing he made it seem like his main objective was to torture me to death in the Games. Something tells me he's not just out to stab me and be done with it. Knowing Goyle's sick mind, he'd do the worst. Thinking about all the possibilities makes me feel a bit queasy.

"Okay," I say. "Let's just keep walking until we find trees. Maybe we can use them to our advantage anyway."

Harry nods and we walk in silence for the most part – probably because we're mainly relying on our hearing then our eyes. Considering it's dark and we can't see much anyway, but it's also because we're far too scared to speak to each other. I know every thought that's going on in my head is going on in Harry's as well. We're both wondering how we'd die if we don't end up killing ourselves in the end. Most importantly, we're both wondering if we'd even see the other die. I know Goyle would want that – he would get a lot of pleasure out of watching me witness Harry's death or vies versa. But I'm still intended on making Harry win… If I do die – which I probably will – he needs to be the victor… and I know he will, because he knows that's what I would want, despite how much he argued against it over the past few days. But it still makes me feel selfish, like I want him to win just for my benefit. That's not even remotely true. I want him to win, because he needs to finish this. If I'm not here, I wouldn't be able to do it, and Harry knows just as well as I do that this whole thing needs to end before it continues on any father in the future. I never mentioned this to him in detail, but Harry knows – I know he's aware of it.

It feels like we've been walking for hours when we finally stop to see a side to the arena that's full of trees. But it's across the center arena – where the Cornucopia is. Walking around will literally take hours, but running across can take minutes. Harry and I share looks and I know we're both debating with our eyes – whether we run across or walk around.

"If we run, we'll get there faster." He whispers.

I hesitate but eventually agree with him. "We'll run together on three."

He nods and we both look straight ahead. "One…"

"Two."

We look back at each other nervously. "Three." We're about to dash out in the field when we hear growling in the woods behind us – or what use to be the woods. The sound is so loud it feels like the whole arena is vibrating under my feet. Harry and I freeze and cautiously turn around to face the sound, both of us afraid to move any farther. "What was that?" Harry breathes quietly, eyes wide, searching the arena for the smallest sight of movement.

I swallow hard and fix my eyes in the distance where a thick, but burnt tree is still standing; it looks like it's about to fall into a shower of ash any second. Some bushes are still partly full around it. Clearly the fire didn't hit the place as much.

Slowly, I take a step forward, allowing a thin stick beneath my feet to crack softly against the ground.

"Draco!" Harry whispers quietly, trying to call me back.

I ignore him and walk up closer. Now it sounds like something is moving around that area, but suddenly stops. I swallow hard and turn back to Harry with a shrug. Maybe it was nothing…

Suddenly, his face changes to horror and before he can warn me, I shoot my head back to the tree and out of nowhere a mutt leaps out from behind it. It's like the Game Keepers just made it bolt out of the ground, because the mutts are far too tall and enormous to hide behind a bush or a tree.

Harry grabs my arm and we make a run for it – out into the center of the arena – out in the open.

The mutt – no… _mutts_ are behind us. There's more than one, about five when I turn my head. This… is bad…

Still, I don't slow down and only make my legs move faster. It feels like the whole planet is shaking as these things run after us. Their loud, rumbled roars make the blood in my ears pound.

Panting, but not slowing down, I hear a distant yell and turn my head. My heart almost stops and I almost skid to a halt. It's Goyle, and like us, he's being chased by bears, but he has fewer at his tail – It's dark but I can only see two mutts behind him. He meets my gaze, the evil shine of his cold eyes reflecting in the darkness. As scared as he may be, he still manages his evil look – like he's ready to go in for the kill.

"Goyle…" I say under my breath, making Harry turn his head. I can see his face turn white with horror. He doesn't answer, but he doesn't need to. His face tells me every one of his emotions right now.

_Keep going, the faster you get to the woods the better off you'll be!_

Yeah right. I can't hide anywhere, especially from these mutts. _Almost to the woods, think – do something!_

Trees. I can climb a tree. No, but wait, bears can climb trees, and since these mutts are so tall they probably don't need to.

_Think, you're getting closer!_

I can't… I can't do anything to get away… nothing… I can keep running, but how long can I run for until I'm out of energy? I'm already out of breath. No… I need to face this, no matter how bad it is. Maybe I can get the mutts on my side… Maybe —

Finally we're surrounded by full, untouched, unburnt trees, but we're still being chased. I don't know where Goyle went off to, but Harry's not stopping and neither am I.

"Harry…" I say breathlessly.

"I got an idea. Keep running." He says. So I follow him. It looks like he's using the darkness as a guide because he keeps ducking under the shadow of the trees and out of the light from the stars. I've heard that bears have poor eyesight… but I don't know if that includes these bears. They were made by the Game Keepers so they were probably enhanced so they _could_ see through the dark. Oh well… one plan is better than no plan at all.

Finally it sounds as if the mutts are lagging back and suddenly Harry is grabbing onto my jacket and roughly pulling me behind the thickest and fullest tree around. He pushes me to the ground, on my stomach, and gets down next to me. I start to move, but he pushed his hand on my back. "Stay down." He whispers. I can hear my heart hammering against the ground, like it's about to lung from my chest any second.

We're both trying to keep our breathing silent as we hear the heavy paw steps of the mutts. They're snarling at each other, as if talking in a different language. One of them stops right in front of us, its big, fluffy hind paw just inches from my face. I clamp a hand over my mouth so I don't breathe on its fur, and also so my heavy breathing is not heard.

The mutt sniffs the air and snarls to the others. Finally, they walk away, thumping the ground with their feet as they go. Once they're out of sight and disappear into the woods, Harry and I both exhale and slowly stand up.

"You hurt?" He asks me, pulling a leaf out of the collar of my jacket and tossing it to the ground.

"More or less. You?"

He shrugs, "I'll feel better once this is all over."

I nod, "Now we need to find Goyle." I turn to start our search, only to jump backwards with a gigantic leap of my heart. Goyle's standing face to face with me, leaning against the tree with a smirk on his still bloody face. _How long has he been standing there?! _I suddenly feel a shock of terror hit me to the point where my knees almost buckle from under me. Looking at the red blotches on his skin shoots images of Pansy's blood showering his face as he stabs her heart out. I back up into Harry, feeling his heavy breathing down my neck and the rapid thumping of his heart against my back.

"Well, well, pretty boy." Goyle reaches a hand out to me and I completely freeze in panic hearing my breathing coming out in shaky spurts as he strokes my cheek with the back of his hand, "Miss me?"

Harry pushes away from me and shoves him into the tree with his arm pressed hard into Goyle's throat, making me jump out of his way, "I told you not to touch him again!"

Goyle smirks and grabs Harry by the hair and tosses him to the ground like a rag doll. I jolt back. Harry lands on his side, yelling loudly in agony as the force of the throw crushes his arm between his body and the ground. He grunts in pain, trying to get back up, but he's hurt, and can't lift himself to his feet. "Fine." Goyle says, inching closer to Harry until he's leaning over him, pinning him to the ground, causing Harry to whine in fear, "I'll kill you first."

I grip my axe tightly before releasing it from my hand, letting it hit the ground with a soft thump. I won't make the mistake in killing him like I killed Blaise. I wrap my arm around Goyle's fat throat from behind, instantly pulling him off of Harry. The two of us are on the ground and he uses his sword to cut the top of my arm. I let him go with a grunt of pain which means letting my guard down. I feel his hand in my hair, and now everything is flashing by. All I can feel is my back being thrashed against the ground – I'm too winded to move.

Looking up, I see Goyle standing over me, his sword raised so it's pointing at the center of my chest. I swallow hard and shut my eyes.

…Nothing happens. But suddenly I feel something wet on my cheek that smells of iron and a faint gagging sound above me all combined with the sound of a blade piercing through flesh.

I open my eyes. My hearts feels like it stopped beating, and my blood goes cold. Harry is leaning over me, blood running from his mouth. I feel like I can't breathe. My eyes are so wide, and my limps quivering to the bone. No… NO!

"H-Harry…?"

I trail my eyes down to his chest where Goyle's sword is pierced through the middle. My mouth hangs open, letting a little squeaking sound of shock and disbelief escape me. The crimson stain on his white T-shirt is stretching quickly until all I see is scarlet. I bring my watery eyes back up to him only to see more blood oozing from the sides of his mouth. He manages a weak smile and inhales hesitantly, causing his breath to hitch painfully. Small tears run from his still beautiful green eyes, despite the sad and terrified look within them. "Draco…" He says hoarsely. "Forget the plan…"

Goyle slides his sword out from his back, making Harry grip the ground besides me hard, so that his fingers are digging into the dirt. His shirt is completely soaked with blood, allowing a bit to drip onto me.

"You have to win." He says and shuts his eyes, landing limp beside me.

"No… Harry…" Tears take over my eyes until everything is blurry. I suddenly hear the cannon and my heart starts hammering even more. I grip onto Harry's jacket and shake him roughly, "NO, HARRY. WAKE UP! YOU CAN'T DIE – YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME!" But he doesn't answer me. I shake my head, unable to believe this is really happening.

I've never seen him covered in this much blood and I… I don't know… I don't know what to do… he's not dead – he can't be dead – he didn't just give his own life for me. "HARRY WAKE UP." I look at his lifeless face for a moment. Even at the start of the Games he managed to keep that perfect attitude – even though everything was going to Hell, he still help that smile on his face like that day might have been his last. He was always so… he was just so amazing, like this was just an everyday thing and he didn't care. And even when we met his hopes and positive attitude only seemed to feel more alive. Even I felt more alive when I was with him. Now… I'm just not use to seeing him this pale or feeling this cold. Those green eyes… they'll never open again… I'll never see him again…

I shake my head and press my forehead to his shoulder, "Please… wake up, Harry…"

"How dramatic…" Goyle says dully, "Who knew killing this little runt would be this easy?"

I grip onto Harry's jacket tightly, leaning in closer to his ear, gently running my fingers through his jet black hair, "I'm doing the rest of this for you…" I whisper and kiss his temple gently finally, letting him go and standing to my shaky feet to face this monster.

"Ohh…" He says. "Look at you. I just killed the love of your life and you still manage to look at me with death in those stormy eyes of yours. Kinda like the angry look."

I say nothing and just ball up my fists. "So now what?" He says, "Are you gonna go down easily now?"

I remember what Snape said before I went to the hovercraft: _"You don't have to fight him… Run… You're a good runner – you're fast. Goyle isn't – you're smarter and stronger than he is. Trick him."_

I try to look at him boldly, even though tears are staining my cheeks, "I'll go down easily," I say weakly, dropping my shocked eyes down at Harry once more. I shut them tight, letting some tears run down my pale cheeks. Finally, I look up at the Devil. "But you have to catch me first."

* * *

AN: Don't worry, it's not over yet. Juuuuust keep reading ;D Now, I'm gonna go continue listening to my friend on the radio :D (*waves* HI JAMIE)


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24 – Familiar Face

We both stand our ground, and quite honestly, I'm afraid to run. Facing each other, I watch as Goyle grips the hilt of his sword impatiently, making his knuckles turn white with anticipation. Suddenly we both break eye contact as the Earth shakes beneath us. We meet each other's eyes again, but this time in fear as we both hear the distance snarling and bellowing. The mutts… my heart starts hammering.

Goyle's fearful expression drops as the sides of his lips curl into a smirk, "Better start running, pretty boy."

I have an idea in my head, but it's stupid – really stupid. I take a quick breath and start running, with much more ease since I left my axe by Harry's body – Harry… every part of me just tell me to stand still, let Goyle do whatever he wants to me, but I keep repeating Harry's last words in my head. I have to win. I have to win for him. I shake my head to try and forget about him, but that's impossible. Goyle's gaining! Okay, let's see if stupid plan of mine works.

My legs are shaking with worry as the sounds from mutts get louder from behind us. Their giant paws pound the ground and I can even hear the loud huffs of their breathing as they run. I know Goyle is just feet, maybe inches away from me, but I know he can't keep up completely, because he won't admit he's scared as well. Although, I don't know how long I can run for. Not having Harry with me only makes me feel lost. I hate to say it, but I relied on him a bit too much and didn't think about what I would do if he did die. Now he's gone and I'm left alone. I need to think of a better idea and quick, before I go mad. As if I haven't lost my mind already.

"How you gonna kill me without a weapon, dragon boy!?" Goyle shouts from behind me. Apparently he just gave our position away because when I turn my head, a giant mutt leaps out of nowhere, just a few feet behind Goyle and he jumps at the sudden exposure of the monster, almost stopping his pace. For once, his face looks full of horror.

I turn back to the path in front of me and secretly smirk. _A tree, I need a tall, weak looking tree._

I slow down my pace as I try to concentrate. Panting, I turn my head frantically as I notice the trees getting thinner. I must have stopped because I hear Goyle yell, practically in my ear. I turn around, just before he swing his sword at my throat. I dodge the blade by an inch.

"Goyle." I say, panting, trying to get his attention. He looks like he's about to take another swing at me so I jump back, standing under the tree I picked.

Goyle looks at me hesitantly and I can see the bear just yards behind him. "Okay. Goyle listen-"

"I don't need to listen to you! Just shut up and die already!"

I take a step back. He takes a step forward. I swallow hard looking at him miserably, wanting him to see the hurt in my eyes, secretly hoping he'd realize the wrong he's doing. But nothing can get through to him anymore. I've already tried. I've tried so hard to get him back. However this ends… it'll be over for the both of us. "If you don't wanna get killed, I suggest climbing this tree! The mutt won't get you!" I can't hide the hurt in my tone as I say this. Because even if I trick him and even if he dies, it's still murder. Because I would be part of it.

He looks at me thoughtfully and slowly lowers his sword, "You're lying… maybe you should climb the tree."

I back up when the mutt gets closer, "I'm… I'm dead anyway, right?" My God, this plan better work – I need to make him believe me. "And you want to win – I want to die… climb the tree." I shift my eyes casually, trying not to make it look like I'm planning head. I can see a small ditch on my right. If I can get the mutts to focus on Goyle, I can hide and they won't notice me.

He's considering this, I can tell. After all, there is no other way out. He'll never get away from the mutts any other way – they're too close, now and trying to run again will only be suicide. "You better be right about this, Malfoy." He says as he puts his sword in his belt and jumps up to grab a weak looking branch, sticking his toe into the bark to climb. The mutt is getting closer, but its eyes are on Goyle. Quickly, I run out of the way and take cover in the ditch I found, hiding most of my body possible. More mutts are appearing out of nowhere in particular – at least I can't see where their coming from in the darkness.

I duck lower, and watch as the shortest of the mutts, jumps up and clamps its jaws at Goyle's feet, almost grabbing him in its razor sharp teeth. I wince, imagining the mess that would take place if Goyle's leg got ripped off just now. Still, I try not to look away. Goyle grunts when his footing loses a bit of hold and he slides down a few inches, scraping his boots against the bark to keep hanging on. My heart stops for a split second, but he quickly grabs onto a thin branch, hauling himself up again. He kicks a mutt in the face in the process when it tries to grab him by swiping a paw at his leg. The bear bellows in pain and presses its big paws on the tree, making the thing tilt sideways with a loud snap. The roots at the base of the tree are pulling up from the ground.

The bear pushes on it again. _Snap!_ I gasp and quickly duck down when one of the mutts hears me and turns its broad head in my direction. I wait a few seconds until it looks away and pick my head back up.

I know Goyle is way too heavy for this – which is exactly why I planned it – and this tree won't be able to support him much longer – especially if it falls. I smirk when he lifts up a foot to climb onto the next branch. _This is it! Fall! Fall! _

_Crack! _The branch snaps off from under his fat foot and dislocates from the tree. I anxiously grip the grass under my hands. Goyle's trying to grab onto anything as he falls, hitting weak branches on his way down that immediately break on impacted due to his weight. He hits the ground hard, gasping when his breath hitches as the wind gets knocked out of him. He grunts and quickly rolls out of the way when one of the mutts brings down a big, sharp clawed, paw to slash him open. I slam my fist on the ground, frustrated. Well, that plan didn't work.

_Shit what do I do now!? Harry help me!_

Goyle's eyes shoot at me as he jumps to his feet. Now's my queue to run.

I jump out from the ditch and run as fast as my legs can go, ignoring the loud, angry bellowing of the mutts when they finally see me.

"MALFOY!" I hear Goyle scream from behind me, followed by loud roaring of the mutts. They're all behind me now. If I don't do something soon, we're both dead. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU FOR THIS, MALFOY. YOU'RE DEAD WHEN I CATCH YOU. YOU CAN'T RUN FOREVER."

Please just give me something – anything to help me. I'm looking around frantically at everything my eyes can hold in the process of running from death. They're all getting closer, I can tell by the sounds as they echo louder in my ears, and the vibration under my feet like an earthquake.

I'm running short of breath, but I force my legs forward. I'm doing this for Harry… even though I want to die and just give up – no – I'm doing this for him. One of us has to finish this – all of it.

I'm about to skid to a sudden turn, ready to use my trick that picked up from the dragon fight, when, suddenly, I see another mutt in front of me. Now I can tell where these beasts are coming from. They're coming from the _ground_ – they just emerge like holograms on a platform. The bear ahead of me is standing in place, with its paw raised high. It's waiting for me to get closer so it can cut me open – I know it.

Something tells me to stop running but I don't. I can't turn back, and I _can't _stop… but I do have a plan… a good one this time.

Even from here, I can notice something familiar about this mutt. There's a long scar running across its face. Wait… _scare_. This is the same mutt that was pinning me to the ground – the one with Blaise's eyes. I was right about them enhancing him into a mutt – this is Blaise – and he's here to help me, I know he is.

I'm remembering that mutt fight now – when I got scratched on my neck by Blaise. Harry's voice is echoing in my head,_ "Don't ever freeze up in front of a mutt like that. If you didn't get out of the way in time it could have took off your head, or possibly slit you open."_

As I get closer I hear Goyle screaming, "WHERE YOU GOING, PRETTY BOY? YOU'LL KILL US BOTH!"

No, Goyle. In is where your road ends. For good.

Blaise looks ready to bring down his paw as his roar makes the blood pound in my ears and my heart turn to ice. I feel like I should freeze up, but I don't. It's almost like he's telling me to get out of the way.

Just as he brings down his paw like a fallen pillar, I quickly duck, feeling his sharp claws graze my hair as I skid between his bowl shaped legs until I stop right behind the bear's back, brining my head up to face the horror. I yell in fear and jump back at the sight.

Between the gap in the bear's legs I see Goyle. He's frozen, completely frozen and white as a ghost. My eyes trail down to his torso, where his hands are cupped around his stomach. I try to fight back the nausea as I back up into the tree behind me.

From what I can see, I managed to get out of Blaise's way before he could cut me open – which was part of my plan. But Goyle didn't know what I was thinking – obviously – and couldn't get out of the way fast enough. The bear – Blaise – caught Goyle instead of me, and used his sharp claws to cut open Goyle's stomach. It's disgusting. All those horror movies I watched… I feel like I'm in one right now.

I watch in terror as Goyle tries to hold his intestines inside, but blood and other things that are meant to stay in his body, are seeping through his fingers and arms. I gag as I clamp my hand over my mouth to keep myself from throwing up. His face is a straight look of terror that I've never seen on him before. But still… as he dies, he's looking at me as if saying: _"You did this."_ But there's also that look of the kid I grew up with. It's like this particular moment in death; he's finally realizing what he did wrong. _But it's too late, Goyle… it's too late_.

A tremendous amount of blood is gushing from his mouth and stomach as he stares at me. And even though I want to turn away, I can't. It's almost like my neck is made of steel – it's impossible to turn. Finally, Goyle's eyes roll back in his head and his hands fall to his sides limply, allowing whatever he was trying to keep in his body, to fall to the ground in a disgusting pile. He drops limply to his knees and hits the earth, on his side, with his insides poured out beside him.

The cannon fires. Finally… _he's gone_… but I can't believe what I just saw and my eyes won't turn away from the gore before me. This isn't what I wanted it. I didn't… _no_… why does this hurt so much? He wanted me to _die_. He was sticking by his promise in tearing me apart. But at the same time, I really don't think that was it. In the end he realized what he became and he use to be. I know… I saw it in his eyes. But now he's gone… everyone is gone…

I whimper softly into my hand as tears blur my vision. Harry…

Finally, Blaise moves, using his hind leg to block Goyle's body from view. The other mutts turn and walk away, vanishing into thin air as they do so.

I look up at Blaise with horror on my face and press my back to the tree behind me. He gets down on all fours, blood dripping heavily from the claws he used to slash Goyle open. Blaise takes one step towards me, which is enough to close the gap between us so that our eyes are locked.

He sniffs softly and uses his muzzle to press against my right arm. I'm too scared to even pull away and watch as he brings his eyes back to mine. I look up at this mutt a bit terrified but also a bit relieved because he's not hurting me. Suddenly, a smile snakes onto the bear's – Blaise's muzzle and he nods curtly at me – as if implying that I did a good job.

"Blaise…" I said shakily, feeling the rock in my throat. God, I feel so nauseous.

He grumbles in reply.

"Thank you…" He nods and looks like he's about to pull away. I feel tears block my vision again, and out of now where I just wrap my arms around his furry shoulders. "Don't go." I say softly, "Don't leave me again, Blaise." He grumbles in my ear which almost sounds like a laugh. I hear him snort and nuzzle his nose into my hair, playfully.

I pull away from him, looking up at his eyes and try to ignore the scar on his face. But I can't help it and my hand reaches out to it instinctively. I gently run my fingers over the visible skin and Blaise doesn't even move.

"I'm so sorry." Just looking at this thing on his face only reminds me that I did this to him. I gave him that mark – I killed him. I hurts so much. Of course he can't talk, but he does press his wet nose to my cheek, pulling back with a sad smile on his muzzle. "Give Pansy a hug for me?" My voice is cracking with emotion.

He nods once and lastly, presses his nose to the left side of my chest where my heart is still racing like a Firebolt. He pulls back with a sad look on his face, causing the skin on his forehead to wrinkle. His mouth gaps open a bit and a soft, sad whimper emanates from it.

I smile softly, feeling the tears running down my cheeks. "I love you too, bro." My voice is breaking and I watch as his bear eyes get glassy with tears. Finally, his pelt begins to give off that black smoke and that only tell me it's time for him to go...

He slowly turns and, like the others, walks away, evaporating into the air slowly, never to be seen again.

"Bye, Blaise…" I say when he's gone.

Goyle's body is visible once again, but now I'm able to look away.

_"Attention. Attention!"_ A voice says somewhere around the arena. It… sounds like my father…

_"I present the winner of the second annual Hunger Games… Draco Malfoy."_

The wind picks up, but I'm suddenly, so dizzy. My body limps to the side and every sound around me fades out, along with my vision.

* * *

AN: I think we got either 3 or 4 more chapters left... my God, I can believe what's happening in this chapter though. Like seriously, I got a bit teary when Blaise and Draco said good-bye. Although, Blaise would probably make a very cuddly bear.

Also, I'm not sorry about the horrid death scene for Goyle. The bastard deserved it. Goyle, honey... I have no sympathy for you here. Good-bye.

Well, I think this will be the only chapter today. However once this is done I will post more stuff! I don't like posting too many fics at once becasue I like to finish things before I start other stories, otherwise I feel overwhelmed with updating. However, Halloween is coming up so you can expect a Draco/Harry special.

Also, any Kick-Ass fans out there? (You know the movie... comic book?) Well, keep an eye out for some Hit Girl/Kick-Ass, coming soon!

Just giving you all a little update on what's going on inside my head. I'll see you all in chapter 25! ENJOY


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25 – Tricks up My Sleeve

I wake up to a shallow beeping noise and a bright light above me. I groan softly and knot my eyes tight to keep the light from burning through my eyelids like boiling water. Slowly, I blink them open to get a look around. The beeping becomes more audible. _Beep. Beep. Beep. _ Suddenly I remember everything that happened and, with a gasp, I bolt up into a sitting position, my eyes wide like two orbs. The beeping gets louder, racing rapidly like the wings of a Snitch. Just like my heart when I realize where I am.

Looking around the room, my heart rate begins to slow, along with the noise, making it return to its hesitant beeping sounds. I'm sitting on a bed in a hospital room which I'm guessing is in the hovercraft. The shallow beeping noises I heard is a heart monitor beside my bed. I'm still wearing my jacket but my shirt is ripped with a few wires attacked to my chest for the heart monitor.

"They just brought you here." A voice says from nearby. I gasp softly and see Snape leaning against the doorframe.

I look at him, unable to speak. He begins to walk over to me and sits on the edge of the mattress, picking bits of dirt and dry blood from my messy white blonde hair. "You're a _mess!_" He says.

I still don't know what I look like, and looking around the room again, I see a long wall mirror near the doorway over Snape's shoulder. Why haven't I noticed it when Snape walked in? I wasn't really looking for it I suppose…

I jump slightly at my reflection. This is the first time actually seeing what the scratches on my neck look like. They're red scars now, and like Harry said, they run horizontally in four ribbon claw marks. There's one on my jaw line, two long ones on my neck and a smaller one on my shoulder that shows through a small rip on my jacket. The scratch on my cheek where Ron cut me is still there, but it looks slightly healed. My hair is matted and almost brown due to all the dirt and rust-colored blood that's in it. Not to mention it looks like I rubbed my head on a tree trunk, like a deer removing the velvet off its antlers. My face is bloody with dirt, and it also looks like I've lost weight. My face is a bit slimmer to the point where my cheek and collar bones show through my slightly tanned skin – at least being outside for days on end did me some good. Or that could just be the dirt covering my face considering I never get tan no matter how long I'm under the fire hot sun. Even my bones on my chest are slightly visible through the rips in my shirt.

"They weren't able to do much since they just got you here. You passed out from shock, but you were only out for a few minutes." Snape says. I turn to him tiredly, dropping my gaze. I'm not tired. I'm exhausted. But most of all, I just feel sick. My limbs are aching with shock and when I look down at the sheets I can see them quivering, like a refugee lost in a snow storm. Only they aren't shaking, my head is. I'm so stunned about everything that I can't even control the own shudder of my body. I feel nauseous, but not because I'm hungry. It's just because of everything… everything I've seen, everything I've done… but most of all I'm just sick of myself. I shouldn't be here. Why am I alive? I should be dead – I want to be dead. I hate myself more than anyone possibly could.

Snape sighs, "Hey, cheer up, already. You won. You should be happy."

I shake my shivering head. How could I be _happy_? The word even sounds evil to me right now. "Then why do I feel so miserable?" My voice sounds like sandpaper – scratchy and weak. I can barely bring myself to talk, but I try.

Snape doesn't answer. I feel hot tears fill my eyes as I remember Harry and Pansy. I grip the sheets into my quivering hands at the thought. The bandages on my right hand – from when I gripped onto Goyle's blade after Hermione's death – are removed. There's no pain, but I'm guessing there are a few scars on my palm and under my fingers. But I can't look to be sure. My grip is so tight around these sheets that removing my hands would probably lead to breaking my fingers off.

"I shouldn't be here…" I say.

"…What do you mean? You won. You deserve every right after what happened in that arena." Snape tries to sound reassuring, but it's not helping. I know he can tell Harry and Pansy's deaths are tearing me apart. And they are. They're tearing me open more than Goyle actually was. I feel so hallow without them here.

"I should be dead. I want to be dead… Harry should be sitting here right now, not me…" My voice is shaky now.

"Malfoy…" I look up at him with tears running down my dirt and blood stained face. He looks a bit shocked by this, but his face doesn't contract. He never changes his emotion – he makes it look like nothing can hurt him, but I can see the startle in his eyes. Yeah, his emotion hardly ever alters. But I know why. Because behind that stone hard face is a hurt and scared man. Snape has been broken a long time ago and now I feel every pinch of his pain.

"You don't know what this feels like…" I say. But he does. I just don't realize the words pouring from my mouth until they're actually released.

Snape shakes his head and, surprisingly, wraps his arms around me, hugging me close to him. Something my own father hardly ever did. "Believe me, Draco… I know everything you're feeling right now." I know you do, Snape. I know you do…

I'll admit, though, it does feel good being wrapped around by someone – even if it's Snape. I just need that comfort and protection right now. I've never felt more alone. I feel like a helpless little boy with no family – no friends – no home – no nothing. But maybe that's the honest truth as to who I really am. I lost all my friends; I don't consider the Manor a home; and above all I lost Harry. He became my everything and as soon as Goyle's sword pierced though his chest I had nothing. I have nothing worth living for now. But yet, here I am, alive when I should be six feet under. I'm scared… more scared then I've ever felt – even in the arena I've never felt this traumatized. I never thought losing someone would hurt this much. Never in my life did I think I could be broken. I'm snapped like a twig. Even though Goyle is dead… he won… he won the Games… because in the end he still got what he wanted, and that was to tear me down, make me watch Harry and Pansy die – he wanted to see the fear and pain on my face as I watched my two hearts shatter like broken glass. He won. I'm broken. And that's just what he wanted.

I'm crying, now, finally letting my emotions spill out. After all, I've been carrying them like a heavy load since the beginning. I'm clutching onto Snape's shoulder like I'm in pain – and I am.

I know he can't tell me everything will be okay – that _I'll_ be okay. Because he knows I'll never be okay again. I'll always be stepped on – always be kicked around like a stray. And you know what, I'll let people step on me like I'm scum, and I'll be kicked around like a homeless dog. Because I just don't see the point anymore… I finally got what I wanted – I finally got Harry. And now he's gone… I'll never look into those perfect green eyes again, never feel those soft lips against mine… and I'll never be wrapped around in his strong, protective embrace ever again. And Pansy. She was there for me since the beginning. Even though I didn't love her like I love Harry, she still meant the world to me. She gave me hope and something else I never had: Courage. I never felt brave in my whole life, and she was just there to keep me on my feet and hold my head up even when I didn't want to. I miss them… I want them back. The thought of them only makes me cry even harder. I feel Snape rub my back as his shoulders slightly quiver. Is he crying to?

"Is this…" I try to say in a steady tone. "What it felt like when you lost Lilly?"

I feel him nod against my shoulder, "This is exactly what it felt like – still feels like."

We finally pull back and Snape reached to grab my right arm. My heart starts thumping when he pinches the object under my sleeve. I look at him desperately and shake my head.

"I won't say anything." He says, not looking at me.

"Just tell me one thing." I say. He looks at me thoughtfully, "Where do they keep the bodies?"

Snape blinks and pulls back. I lean forward, clutching the edge of the mattress with my hands. "Snape. Please… tell me."

"I can't, Draco… There's no way-"

"I'm finishing this thing. And I'm not doing it without him. Tell me where the bodies are, or I'll slit my own fucking throat and you won't _have_ a victor anymore!" As I say this I keep my tear filled eyes on his. But I wish I could look around for any surgical tools to make my statement true. The Capitol probably knows Victors will attempt to take their own lives if they keep any knives around, so there's probably no use in searching. But that means they want me alive, right? They can't kill me once I've already won. But I wish they could…

I don't take my desperate eyes off him, not even for a second, "Snape." I sound like I'm begging now, leaning more closely, hoping he'd look at me. "Please…" It takes a moment, but eventually Snape sighs with defeat.

"They're in the base of the hovercraft. When we get back home the bodies will be buried. So I suggest you hurry."

"How long will it take to get home?"

"A day. They'll need to operate on you. You're still in bad condition, so if you're thinking about going before they fix you up, it's a bad idea. You'll have no energy. You look sick." I feel sick.

"I don't care." And I don't.

"You'll start trouble, Draco. They will find out he's back. It's not like you can hide him."

"Those bastards can't kill me now, I already won. I don't care if the Capitol hates me after this, Snape… I want Harry _back_!"

"Draco." Snape says more seriously, "Do you realize what this could cause? We're talking an uprising so big-"

"I don't fucking care! You would do the same for Lilly if you could, and don't you _dare_ tell me otherwise!"

Snape breaks eye contact and I can tell I've won against him by the release of tension in his shoulders, causing them to drop. "I hope you know what you're doing, Malfoy." He gets up, "If you're going to do this, hurry it up. You know the spell?"

I nod.

"I'll try to cover for you." Then he leaves.

I wait a few minutes before taking the wires off of my chest and turning off the heart monitor before it freaks out in response to the wires being removed. Slowly, I get to my feet and look for my boots. They're right beside the night stand and I quickly pull them on.

I feel almost drunk standing up. Everything is spinning and it takes me a minute until I get my bearings. I shake my head and get most of my vision into focus before making my way out of the room, using various objects – like the bed and nightstand – to lean on so I can keep my balance. When I get to the door frame, I lean against it, close to the mirror. Sighing sickly, I press the base of my palm to my forehead and emanate a groan in my throat without opening my mouth.

I turn my head to my reflection and slightly cringe. I've never looked… this beat up. Looking at my cheekbones only makes me realize that I hardly ate in the arena and now, thinking about food, makes my mouth water. I weakly shake my head, trying to put food and water in the back of my mind for now. Gently, I push off of the wall and peer through the hallway, making sure no one is around.

The corridors are completely empty. It looks like this is the hospital wing. I don't see any doctors around, or even patients – I'm probably the only once since I'm the only one alive. I feel my empty stomach contract at the thought.

Alright, Snape said the bodies are in the base of the hovercraft. That means the lowest floor. There's got to be an elevator or stairs around here somewhere.

As I'm walking, I hear a soft hissing noise that makes me stop in my tracks instinctively. My eyes shift from room to room until I see a small green dot poking out around the corner. I fix my eyes on it until I see a long, green tree snake slither out into view.

"Sasha!" My face brightens up. It's good to see another living face. She slithers up to me like an excited puppy happy to see its owner return. I lean down to greet her and she snakes up my arm to wrap herself around my shoulders, nuzzling her scaly head against my cheek as she gently coils her body against me, being careful not to choke me to death.

I rub her head gently, "I missed you too." Her tongue grazes the corner of my eye and I can't help but smile as a chill runs down my spine.

"Sasha. Do you know how to get to the bodies?"

She looks at me, tilting her head. She doesn't understand me, but I think she can still hint a serious wave of my tone, because she slithers off of me and onto the ground, facing me with a somewhat serious expression on her small face.

"Uhm…" I say, trying to think. I push my bangs out of the way and trace an invisible lightning shape on my forehead with my index finger and look at her curiously. She seems to understand. Her eyes prick up, like a cats ears and she flicks her tail for me to follow her.

Carefully, I get to my feet and look over my shoulder to make sure I'm not being followed before I start after Sasha.

She leads me down the hospital wing and stops at a white door – similar to all the other ones here – and points her tail at it.

I look at her uneasily, "This is where Harry is… and the other Tributes?" I know she can't understand me so I point to the door and shrug my shoulders. She nods and slithers back so I can let myself in. This door looks like any normal door I see around this floor. Maybe it's meant to look like it leads to another room so that no one would get any ideas. Looking around one last time, I take a deep breath and reach my hand out to the handle. My heart starts beating faster with anxiety.

"I really hope I know what I'm getting myself into." I mumble softly, wrapping my hand around the door handle. It's cold to touch – almost freezing and I get an uncomfortable chill down my spine. Sasha presses her head against my leg, looking up at me with reassuring eyes. I know she's trying to comfort me and I smile gratefully at her for it – but nothing can calm me down. I know what I'm about to do will get me in a whole lot of trouble, but I can't turn back. If this is my only chance to bring him back – I'm not stopping now. I've been running from fear for too long.

The handle turns stiffly in my hands, as if this door has only been open once in a lifetime. There's a staircase in front of me, with not even a spark of light leading down. I press my hand to the cold, cemented wall to feel my way around, slowly stepping down each step so I don't fall into a pile of bodies.

Sasha is right behind me, moving her way down the stairs as well. When she's completely out of the doorframe, I shut the door behind me so no one will suspect anyone is down here. This only makes the path ahead even darker.

It smells in here – almost like a meat locker. Not to mentions it's freezing. I think I can see the mist of my own breath through the darkness. I sight and rub my arms together, shivering slightly.

Finally I stop and instinctively look over my shoulder. I can see the white glow of the door just above the flight of stairs behind me and stop when I think I reach the last step.

I loosen my right sleeve and stretch out my hand, allowing my wand to slip through my jacket sleeve and land comfortably into my palm. It feels good to finally be free of the burden considering I've been caring the thing under my sleeve throughout the whole Game. Although, the familiar feel of it brings back some warm memories of Hogwarts. But thinking about them will only get me upset, so I try to shake the memories away.

I grip onto the hilt of my wand tightly and extend my arm, _"Lumos." _I whisper in a shivery tone through the cold. The tip of my wand glows like one of those Muggle things – flashlights, I think they're called.

It's easier for me to see now, but part of me wishes I could turn back and run. But I don't. I'm standing in what looks like a basement. The walls around me are cemented. But they're nothing here aside from the bodies that have been slaughtered.

Part of me is use to the gore, now, but these are people I grew up with. Seeing them in almost pieces is pretty disturbing. I swallow hard, trying to fight back the nausea, but I feel like I'm about to be sick on the spot. I move the wand light around the room slowly.

Hermione is laying on her side, back facing me. There's a large stain of blood on the back of her Gryffindor jacket from when I stabbed her through with Goyle's sword. Luna is on her back, eyes closed – blood still hanging on her neck and mouth from the open slit on her throat. And Ron… he practically looks cut in half. I can't tell if the marks on his blood soaked body are from the mutts or the dragon. Either way it looks like he got attacked by something huge. Not to mention he looks partially burnt. _The fire._ I remember now, that's when I heard the cannon and thought it was Harry. I can't stand to look at him anymore. He's barely recognizable.

I move my wand light over the rest of the pile of bodies. Cho and all of the Hufflepuffs lay scattered with cut open throats, stomachs, some even missing limbs.

Finally, I reach Pansy and my heart sinks to my stomach. I fumble with my wand a bit, feeling as though I'll drop it. She's on her back, head facing away from me. Her chest cut open and empty. I swallow hard and force my way over to her. Sasha is right beside me, but I can tell she's uncomfortable here. Still, she stays by my side.

When I reach Pansy, I kneel down next to her unmoved body. This is my first time seeing her like this up close. I bite my lower lip to keep myself together and place my wand down on the cold cemented floor beside her hand, allowing the wand light to illuminate most of the scene.

Tears start running down my face as I slide my Slytherin jacket off to cover her body with it, completely shielding the gash on her chest. Besides, even though she's dead, I want her to be warm.

Sasha rests her head on my lap and looks up at me with sad eyes. She's… crying… there are actually small tears under her little snake eyes. I gently pet her head and try to force a smile. I can't manage it. Instead, I turn back to Pansy and reach over to tilt her head to look at me. Her mouth is soaked with dry blood, but her eyes are closed, now. I take a deep and shaky breath, pushing her bloody and matted black hair away from her face. I don't care how much blood she's covered in – she still looks beautiful to me.

"Pansy…" I say hoarsely and lean down to her face, gently kissing her ice cold forehead. "I miss you so much." My voice starts to break heavily and my vision becomes blurred by my tears. I shut my eyes tight and lose it. "And I need you." I say, almost inaudible. God, I need her so badly right now. I don't know what to do after this. She was my hope – my courage…. And now she's laying here – dead, right in front of me. I'm lost…

Pansy, help me. I don't know what to do…

I don't know how long I stay with her body, just crying over her, wishing she'd just come back to me, but I know I can't stay here. I lean back from her pale, bloody face and look down to pick up my wand. I blink at what the light is reflecting on: The snake ring on Pansy's finger. Her hand is full of crimson, but I gently pick it up and slide the ring off of her stiff cold finger, wrapping my hand around it tightly. I pick up my wand and stand numbly to my feet.

"Good-bye, Pansy." I say softly to her body as if I might disturb the others from their permanent sleep.

* * *

AN: So, I hope you understand the whole reason why Draco was so concerned about his right jacket sleeve in the arena. He broke some precious rules. But that was a pretty big plot point, guys and I hope you all caught onto it.

You're probably wondering why Draco can't revive Pansy here... The girl got her chest ripped open and her heart yanked out... she can't come back after that, people. Draco can do some pretty amazing things, but even he doesn't know how to fix her.

But anyway, I really hope you guys like this... let me know in the reviews. Well, anyway, time for bed. It's going on 1:30 in the morning and I got class tomorrow. Good-night everyone. I hope this kind of gives you peace at mind concerning Harry.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26 – Start of an Uprising

It's hard to get myself to pull away from Pansy's body. I know that when I do, I'll never set my eyes on her again. But the faint sound of footsteps upstairs lets me know that I'm running out of time. Snape can only stall for a little while – I need to hurry this up.

Waving my wand around, I try to find Harry in the small illumination of the wand light. Yeah, I could make the light brighter, but I don't want it to be seen from under the door. Besides, having a full view of this mess will only turn my stomach. When I finally see him, his back is facing towards me, blood staining the whole backside of his jacket, completely blocking out the Gryffindor shield with crimson.

Sasha slithers on over to the front of him and nudges her nose to his pale face with disappointment and grief in her eyes. Like she's trying to wake him up, just thinking he's simply asleep, only for him not to respond. She looks at me with sadness in her eyes and it hurts to look at her. I strain my eyes away from hers to look at Harry.

Sucking in my breath, preparing for all the wrong that will take place after this, I kneel down beside his body and pull him into my lap, so that his emotionless face is looking up at me. His eyes are shut and his head is slightly tilted off my knee. I use my wand-free hand to gently tilt his head to face me. Sasha comes into view of the wand light and makes a noise that almost sounds like a squeaky cry. With remorse in her tiny eyes, she gently rests her head on Harry's unmoving chest.

I sigh, trying to hold it all together. "Harry…" I say to his lifeless, cold and pale face. I gently brush my hand through his matted black hair, moving his bangs aside so I can see his scar. "You're an idiot." I move my hand down to his chest, beside Sasha's face, where more blood is visible from when Goyle's blade pierced straight through him to the hilt. "You shouldn't have saved me… but I guess I owe you one." My shoulders quiver slightly with inaudible laughter. "I might just slap you when you wake up."

_If he wakes up._ But I can't bring myself to say that out loud.

I lift my wand up, and Sasha backs away as I bring it down to the wound on Harry's chest. The light dies down, making the room turn black again, but I can still see Harry, just slightly in the darkness.

I take another breath, gripping the hilt of my wand tighter as my palm begins to sweat with anticipation, causing the thing to slide in my grasp. I graze the tip of the wand over his chest and try to control the shivers from the cold and concentrate. This particular spell can only be used once and only once. And unless done right, it won't bring Harry back. I have one shot at this… just one…

My wand glows a pale blue color that illuminates half his face in a frozen looking light. I look at him desperately and gently run my hand through his hair as if to calm him – I keep forgetting he's dead. It's as if he's just asleep – even though he can't feel a thing. Once the pale light begins to get stronger, it wraps itself around Harry's body, covering the wound in a darker blue. The color is eerie as it begins to strengthen, turning into a night blue and casting a shadow over Harry's face, causing his pale skin to look more alive.

I'm staring at the gash on his chest, watching impatiently, and concentrating to see if it begins to close. And it does. Slowly, but finally the wound on his chest is starting to shrink together. I feel my heart flutter and see Sasha reappear on the corner of my eye. I manage a weak smile, "It's working." I whisper in the cold, seeing my breath leave my lips. Sasha hisses happily in response.

Still, I keep my eyes on Harry. The gash gets smaller… smaller… almost to the point where it's nothing but a flesh wound. But then the light begins to die down, just when it was about to tighten completely. _Oh, no… No,_ "No!" I blurt out. Finally, the light dies, leaving my wand and evaporating into the ice cold air. I keep my wand there as if the glow will reappear but it won't. It's over. That was the only time – the only chance I had at reviving him… and I failed.

I look at his face – still lifeless, still cold. "Harry?" I say softly. Nothing. Not even a twitch.

I shake my head unable to believe this didn't work. Sasha looks up at me, but I don't turn my head to her. Instead, I push apart the rip in Harry's shirt where the blade went through so I can see the cut. There's hardly anything there – just a thin red scratch. My fingers graze over his soft and cold skin, feeling the small scar. Finally, I pull my hand back and press my forehead to Harry's chest, hugging him so tight, he might snap. And now, I don't do anything but cry. I try to keep quiet, ignoring the tapping of footsteps upstairs. I don't care. I'd stay here and rot with the rest of these bodies if I could.

Why is this happening to me? I lost everything, and the one shred of luck I get – the one chance I have to bring him back to me is gone – he's gone. I don't want to go without him, because I'll feel alone – I already feel alone. Even the sudden hand on the back of my head isn't comforting me. I didn't even hear Snape open the door. I want to tell him to go away, but I can hardly open my mouth to talk.

"That hurts…" A raspy voice says into my ear, but it's not Snape. My eyes shoot open and my crying suddenly stops with a gasp. I loosen my grip on Harry and look down at him to see his eyes half open. My heart leaps with shock. He's _breathing_. He's _alive! _Sasha pricks up her head and hisses happily.

"Harry!?" I say almost breathlessly.

"Hey…" He groans with a smile on his exhausted looking face.

I can't believe this… he's _alive_! I just can't get myself to believe what I'm seeing right now. It did work – the spell really did work!

"You're all bloody." Harry says, moving his hand off the back of my head and to my face. His hand is still cold and slightly shaken. His thumb rubs against my cheek bone to push off a bit of dirt of dried blood. I shut my eyes briefly just taking in every caress. I can finally feel his skin against mine again. And I know it's not a dream – I just know it.

Tears are still running down my face, but not because I'm upset. I'm just happy he's back.

Suddenly his eyes shoot open like he just realized something and he bolts up into a sitting position, startling Sasha. "Goyle!" He yells and immediately grips his head in pain. I grab onto his shoulders to keep him steady. "He's dead." I say. "Everyone is dead." He tries to look around but I pull his head away to focus on me. Even though he won't be able to see much in the dark, I don't want him seeing any of this mess.

"Don't look. Just don't look." I say. He's panting now – looking scared, but not taking his green eyes off me.

"Where-"

"Harry it's okay." I try to sound reassuring, but he still looks terrified. He must think we're still in the arena, or somewhere else entirely – which we are, but something tells me he thinks we're at the Capitol.

He's shaking, I can see it. Gently, I hug him close to me and rub his head. "You're okay." I say softly, "You're safe now." God, it hurts to see him this scared. But even still, I'm just glad I can finally embrace him again.

His arms gently wrap around my waist, "What happened, Draco? Where are we?"

I swallow hard. He doesn't recall anything does he? "Harry. Do you remember anything that happened before you… passed out?"

He groans thoughtfully, but it takes him a few moments to get his words out. "Goyle… did something to me." He says at least. "And I can't remember what, but I remember looking at you. There was a lot of blood… my blood?"

I nod, trying to keep calm for his sake as the vision of him leaning over me, dying and with blood dripping from his mouth and chest shoots back into my own brain. The memory hurts – seeing him giving his life for mine and jumping in front of Goyle's sword. It kills me to see those visions over again. Now I remember something else; in training the same thing happened: When Goyle wanted to duel he had me pined – he stood over me, sword raised high. And just when he was about to slaughter me, Harry stood in his way. Then he said he would give my life for mine. And that's exactly what he did in the arena. Did Harry know? Did he plan it to end like this? Now that I think about it, he sounded so earnest – there wasn't a single hint of doubt in his tone, then. Goyle and Harry's voices echo in my head from that day.

_"You'd give your life for him!?"_

_"Yes. I would."_

I shudder slightly at the thought. He knew… his whole plan from the beginning was to get me to win, just like mine was to get him to win.

I swallow hard, to clear my throat, trying to sound calm. "You're blood." I say after a moment. But I say it so quietly that I don't even know if he heard me. "Do you remember anything else? Anything that you said?" There's no way I can tell him what actually happened. It's the same thing with me when I passed out and remembered Pansy's death. All those memories came back to me on their own. If I tell Harry he died, it'll only cause him more shock. He needs to remember for himself.

"I told you something…" He grips the back of my jacket and nuzzles his head into my shoulder. "I told you to win. Didn't I?"

I nod again.

"And then… the blood. Goyle…" He grips my jacket tighter, "I remember I couldn't breathe. It felt like everything was caving in on me. But I heard your voice. You were yelling but then all of a sudden your voice faded." I hug him tighter. He heard me? He heard me yelling for him to come back? I wonder if heard me say that I would win for him. "Draco… Was I dead?" I shudder again, but not from the cold – his words make even my bones shiver.

I don't answer. I don't even move.

"Please. Just say something."

I swallow hard and nod. "You were dead…"

"But then. If I'm here… and you're here… then who won?"

We pull back and he looks at me. I shift my eyes awkwardly and shrug. He blinks. "You?"

"Shocking, I know…"

"No, I mean… God, Draco… You won! How did you get rid of Goyle?"

My eyes shift around the room to find his body, but it's too dark to see. I tell Harry the whole story – everything that happened after he died. I tell him about how I tried to get Goyle to climb the tree and how I hid nearby. I tell him how he fell, how he realized I tried to trick him and how he started after me again. Then I tell him about Blaise and finally, how Goyle died. He seems enticed by the story but when I start describing Goyle's death he groans in disgust. Then lastly, I tell him about my Good-bye with Blaise, just so he knows I wasn't making it up when I first brought it up to him in the arena.

"Huh. So that really was Blaise. Well, I'm sorry, but Goyle deserved it."

I just nod.

"So… how am I still here?"

I hold up my wand and his eyes grow huge. "Draco that's-" He sounds about ready to scream at me so I interrupted him.

"Against the rules, I know."

"They can-"

"Kill me, yes, I know that too. But they won't. I already won."

"Draco…" His eyes soften and he leans in, trying to look understanding, "They'll still torture you."

I put my wand back down and stare at it on the floor, "They already have, Harry. They still are. But I have to finish this…" I grip my wand tight, suddenly thinking of my father. The thought of him makes me grip the thing more firmly with hatred and rage. "I'm not stopping until all of this ends."

There's a long silence between us, until finally, I feel his finger on my chin, lifting my head up to look at him. "Then I'm with you."

I look at him softly, "I don't want you to get hurt again."

"Draco, we were in this together since our names were reaped from those bowls. You brought me back! After all this, you think I'd just get up and say 'see ya later?'"

I try not to laugh. "Not funny, you git."

"The point is I'm not leaving you even if you try to push me away."

I smile at him lightly. He really wants to see this thing through with me – even if he can die? And this time never come back. I know he cares about me. But I care about him too. What if I lose him again? I won't be able to bring him back like I did just now.

"Harry, I—mmf." His lips cut me off, probably to stop the argument I was about to start.

I don't care where we are right now and I just melt right into him. His lips are cold against mine and I taste a hint of blood.

"Harry…" I say when we pull apart. He just looks at me wearily and lifts a hand to brush a few locks of hair out of my eyes. "We need to go upstairs…" I tell him.

"Then what?" He says.

I shake my head and place my hands on his chest where his heart is now beating at full health. "I don't know… But I don't want to stay here…" I know he's not entirely sure where here actually is, but I think he's got an idea.

My shoulders quiver, "I'm freezing…"

Sasha cuddles up beside my leg and I wrap my arms around myself, shivering. It feels like I'm only getting colder by the second, but that could just be my nerves sky rocketing. If it weren't for the rest of the bodies being down here, I wouldn't mind staying a little while longer.

I lower my head and stare down at the floor. Harry wraps his arms around me and I rest the side of my head to his shoulder.

"It's okay, Draco." He says in my ear calmly, I guess sensing how scared I am. "We'll get through this. I promise, we'll figure something out and end this whole thing. No one else will have to die."

I think of Pansy again, but this time I can't shed a tear. I feel like a statue – more lifeless then any of these bodies down here. I feel like I'm just so unable to feel any sort of emotion, even though I know I'm feeling so many.

My body goes limp in his arms. "Draco please…" Harry says, hugging me tighter. "You're not giving up." Is it that obvious that I'm so worn out?

It feels like the cold has completely numbed me to the bone. My teeth chatter and I tighten my jaw to make them stop. "Harry… what now?" I say tightly.

His shoulders rise and fall with a sigh. "We face this." He pulls me back and I feel like an old ragdoll. My head is low at first, but I slowly lift it up to look at him. He tilts my chin with a finger to keep my head from bobbling over. "We go home. And we deal with whatever happens."

"But what can happen?"

Harry shakes his head. "I don't know… But if your father is the president – we're in for Hell when we get back."

I sigh – this doesn't surprise me. But facing my father isn't my biggest worry. I can handle him… in fact I know exactly what I need to do…

"Harry." I say jadedly. I blink up at him feeling my eye lids getting heavy. "I'm tired."

He opens his mouth to speak but the stiff sound of the door opening up stairs makes him jump. I don't even flinch – I'm too exhausted to react to anything. My head turns to the sudden light a top the steps where Snape stands in the door frame. Sasha slithers around my shoulders slowly. Something about her just seems depressing. I wonder if she can really sense what this is all about.

Harry looks back at me, relief taking over his face – he knows Snape is on our side. His shoulders drop, allowing him to release the tension, "Let's go home."

Home? I'm not even sure what that is anymore.

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AN: Did you people really think I was going to kill off Harry!? I'd have to be going mad if I were to do that! Lol, but I like how I had people guessing :3 Keep your pants on ladies and gents, it's not over yet. (No, I'm not hinting a sex scene... yet.)

Anyway, I'd like to inform you all that this may be the last chapter for a few days. No, not becasue I'm busy with College! That's acually not it for once... Apparently we're supposed to get hit with a hurricane this weekend... Now, we have a genorator, so I'll be able to keep up with my writing - and since classes will most likely be cancled I'll have more time to write. However, power is said be out for awhile which means no internet. So if power does go out and whenever I get it back - that is when you'll probably have your last few chapters. Just thought I'd let you guys know, becasue I'm not dying, Mother Nature just hates us all. THE END IS NEAR. Am I the only one who has completely forgotten about the world ending in another two months?

I'm also sorry if this chapter isn't to your liking. I had major writers block through this one and it took me awhile to get through it. But, I got some ideas for the ending (adding onto what I already had at least). Well, I hope you guys enjoy. See you... whenever. Honestly, I don't know... I just hope this hurricane isn't as bad as I'm hearing. Needa go stack up on food n' shit tomorrow! SHOPPING!

Haha, okay, bye guys! I hope you enjoy! 3


	27. Chapter 27

**Long time no see! It's been so long since I've updated and I apologize a million times, but I just couldn't get the inspiration to continue this. However, I think I've got enough will power to see this story on to the end. This will not be the last chapter - I am planning on at least one more after this. Yes there will be a sequel because there's just so much that's going to happen and I can't put it all into one fan fiction. Besides I really don't want to make this story extremely long. Please write reviews! :D They keep me going, just be nice. I'm very open to constructive criticism, just don't be rude about it. I got some semi-hate on this story before and I felt like I should explain some things. (I wrote my own long review, hoping I cleared up any confusion.) This is NOT my first fan fiction - it's just the first one I ever posted. I have been writing for a while, I have just never felt comfortable posting anything until now. ANYWAY, please feel free to write reviews because I would really like to continue this series. Thank you to everyone who stuck with this story - it's greatly appreciated! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I promise, I will try to update more frequently. ENJOY! 3 **

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Chapter 27 – The End of a Beginning

We're finally heading back to the Capitol – back to where we were when we first started this thing. Only it's just Harry and me. The Healers have managed to fix both of us up pretty well. The scratches on my neck are hardly visible – just faded scars. But they told me those will disappear over time. My hand is all better and I managed to get some food down to get my strength back. As for Harry… let's just say no one is happy with me. Snape hasn't said anything about it since I left to bring him back and shockingly no one in the hovercraft mentioned it either. They're probably all too disappointed to even look me in the eye, anyway. But Harry is alive… and I know the Capitol isn't going to let this go easily.

After the hovercraft lands on the roof of the building, Snape and Umbridge lead us into the elevator to take us inside. I refused to leave the hovercraft until I showered – which gives Juniper less to worry about since the reason why we're actually coming back to the Capitol rather than going home is to do our last interview. And lastly to meet with the president… my father. My fists ball up at just the thought of seeing his face again.

No one is saying anything when we get in the elevator and it's a long ride down. I sigh to add some noise in here and lean against the crystal wall, twirling my snake ring around my finger to keep me busy. Only the sight of the thing makes me think of Pansy and I stop to look at it better. But I'm not upset. Actually the sight of this ring makes me smile just thinking about her. But my smile drops when I lift my head to see everyone's faces. Snape looks more dead than usual, but Umbridge is kind of scaring me. She never looks this down – _never. _Do they know something I don't? I don't like this. Even Harry looks uncomfortable. He shifts his way over to me, pressing his side to mine. I really messed up by sneaking my wand in that arena. But Harry is alive so I shouldn't care right? But I do.

Finally the elevator doors open and Snape grabs my arm for me to follow him. Umbridge takes Harry and leads him a different direction. We're meeting with our stylists, now, I know it. As Harry leaves he gives me a worried glance from over his shoulder and I feel my stomach turn to ice. What the hell do I say in my interview to cover up what I did? I have to at least convince the Capitol that I did it for a good reason. That I loved him? That I couldn't bear to lose him? Those are both true, but how do I cover up the fact that I had my wand with me all the way from the beginning. Everyone will think this was all planned and now that I think about it, it does make sense. To be honest, I don't even know why I brought my wand in with me. I felt protected I guess – just the fact that I had it. I need to think of something or this mess could get both Harry and me executed and the last thing I ever wanted was to get Harry in trouble. It's not his fault… I'm the one who brought him back, so if anything I should be the one who gets tormented by the Capitol. I know I have to end this – put a stop to what they're doing, but how? Especially with my father involved. And just because he is my dad, does not mean he'll spare my life.

I'm lost in so much thought that I even forget I'm still walking side by side with Snape. I should say something – anything. I need answers. What will happen to me now? What will happen to _Harry_?

I look up at Snape but he doesn't even shift his eyes over to me. But he looks tense, I can see it in his shoulders. "Snape…" I say softly. Still nothing. Finally, he stops in front of a door. He reaches a hand out to open it, but pulls back. He looks at me. I swallow hard and try to hold his gaze. But I look away, to ashamed to face him or any other human being.

"Why did you have to bring that boy back?" He says, shaking his head as he says so.

"Why?" I repeat. Now I look up at him. "Because I love him, that's why. I thought you knew what this would cause, why are you-"

"You don't know what they're planning, Draco. What you did was probably the worst thing this Capitol could face."

"Good." I wince at the harshness of my tone. Yikes. That'll cost me. I try to reach for the handle on the door, only for Snape to grab my wrist and strain it in his grasp. His hands are clammy and I try to pull away at the feel of it.

"Ow! Snape-"

"You have no idea the damage you caused, Malfoy."

"I don't care – I already told you. All I care about is keeping Harry alive."

He lets me go and I rub my wrist to let him know he hurt me. He backs off. "If I were you… I'd think keeping that boy alive should be the least of your problems." Then he walks away. I watch him disappear in the blackness of the hallway. His robes blend right into the walls and soon it becomes difficult to see him. So I turn my attention to the door in front of me and turn the knob. Juniper is standing there with Sasha around her neck. My heart leaps at the sight of her. She looks happy to see me, but all at the same time she has the same worried look as Snape.

"Draco." She says, kind of chocked up.

I go over to her and she wraps her arms around me tight, squeezing the air out of my lungs. But I don't care. I missed her so much that I embrace her with the same kind of feeling. Sasha coils around both our shoulders, pulling us closer and hissing in my ear.

I hear Juniper laugh and she finally pulls away, allowing Sasha to switch onto my shoulders. Juniper's eyes meet mine and can I tell she was crying. She smiles again and pushes my hair out of my eyes. I've decided to make the "bad boy" look permanent and purposely messed it up after my shower. "You kept the look?"

I nod and turn red with a smile. "I think it fits me." I say, trying to flash a smirk, but despite the consequences, I can't smile.

Her eyes water up and she pulls me into another hug, "Draco… I don't care what they think – I'm so proud of you."

Now my eyes are tearing. I hold the back of her shirt to keep myself together. "I missed you." I say softly, trying to keep my voice steady.

She gently places her hand on the back of my head. "I missed you too, Draco. I'm so glad you're okay." She pulls me back and grazes her hand over the light scars on my neck. "Does this hurt?"

"Not anymore. You'll be able to cover them up for the interview, right?"

"Of course. Follow me, we'll get you ready." She leads me out of the room and down the hall. I never thought I'd walk down these halls again – let alone set my eyes on the Slytherin Common room replica. She leads me upstairs where I found my DRAGON suit for my first interview.

Sasha nuzzles her head against my cheek and I gently rub my finger in between her eyes as I walk on over to the bed. I lower my arm to it so she can slide off.

"So that Harry Potter boy…" Juniper says as she shuts the door. Hanging behind the door is a long plastic bag, which I'm guessing whatever is underneath it is what I'll be wearing for the interview. She takes it off the hanger and turns to face me. "He's quite a catch. You know, the audience has been going crazy whenever you two were together in the arena."

I smile just at the thought of Harry. I brush my hand through my hair with slight embarrassment over the suddenly hot flush of my face. "Really?"

Juniper starts to pull the bag off the hanger. As it rolls up, I catch a glimpse of what's underneath and it looks similar to what I wore the first time. I can tell by the red flames on the cuffs of the pants. But as the bag climbs up higher I see no indication of the DRAGON insignia on the back. And there is none. This is a completely different suite. Although the color scheme did not change – it's still black-red with flames on the sleeve and leg cuffs.

"You're very lucky, Draco. I know love when I see it, and that boy's heart revolves around you."

"I know. That's why I brought him back." I sigh and look down. "But I just don't know… why do I feel like I only put him in more danger?"

"Draco." I look up at her. "Don't regret what you did. Even though people are against it, you did the right thing."

"But if he gets hurt again-"

"He won't. Don't think like this. You gave that boy's life back! You wouldn't have done it if you didn't love him."

My eyes shift away.

"That was your plan the whole time wasn't it?" My heart jumps and I look up her. I knew it. People do think this was all planned. On instinct I grab my right arm even though there's nothing under the sleeve anymore. "You brought your wand in because you knew he would die didn't you?"

I don't know what to do. Maybe it really was my own secret plan. Did I know this would happen? Now that I'm thinking about it, it makes sense. So I just say the first thing I can think of, "I had to have a plan. But even still, I tried to keep him alive." I shake my head. "I just… I feel like this is wrong… What if I really don't know what I'm doing?"

She tilts her head, "Do you?"

"I…" My voice is breaking. "I don't know anymore… I need help… what if more people die because of this!? Because of me! I've already screwed up more times than I could count. I'm just a mess…"

She grabs my hands and locks my eyes with hers, "Draco, listen to me. You got so many people on your side – more people then you know – trust me. You're not alone."

"But I am-"

"No! Stop it. Don't say that, Draco. You've went through so much to get where you are right now. And Harry will always be by your side." She holds up my left arm, digging her thumb into the mark. "This mark is part of you, just like Harry's scar is a part of him. It may have bad meaning behind it, but just because it's part of you doesn't mean that's who you are. You're doing something no Death Eater ever did. You're making a stand. You're standing up to your father and this is something everyone will honor you for."

I swallow hard, "I know what I need to do to finish this… I know exactly what I need to do."

"What's that?"

I take a breath and try to compile the words in my head. It has finally come to me. This – I know – is what needs to be done to finish this. I open my mouth to speak. "I need to kill my father."

"Draco…"

"I know the spell. I can do it this time."

"He's your _father_!"

"He's a _monster_! If he knew this was wrong he wouldn't be doing it. I couldn't kill Dumbledore, but I have enough hatred to kill my dad."

She pulls back in shock. "That's what it is? Hatred? Draco, that has nothing to do with it. You know the feeling you get after taking an innocent life. He's still human."

"I'm not doing it for myself and I don't care about what I feel anymore. I saw shit in that arena that I'll never erase from my memory. I stuck an axe in my best friend's face! I witnessed the first person I ever knew I loved have her heart ripped out in front of me. I was forced to kill a Mudblood and saw Goyle's guts pile out of his stomach! And I watched Harry give his life for mine. There's no way I'm making anyone else go through what I went through in those past few weeks. To end this – to end it for good, Lucius Malfoy needs to die. And I'm going to be the one to kill him." She doesn't take her eyes off of mine, and I can hint a bit of fear in them. "That man is no father to me. What he's doing is wrong and you know it too… You know this is the only way."

She sighs and backs away. "I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Draco. Living with a murder on your hands is something you'll never run away from."

"I'm already living with more than just one murder…"

She looks away from me and continues to take the bag off my suit. It looks slightly different then when I first wore it. The shoulders are spiked outward and freckled with…_ fire_. Like little sparks of red ash. I tilt my head. "Is that fire real?"

"No. It's only meant to look real." Her voice is dull. I know she doesn't approve with my plan, but she's still sticking by me. That's good enough. "But everyone will think it is so don't say anything." She winks and sets the suit on the bed and leaves the room so that I can change. Sasha follows her with a hiss.

"And, Draco." I turn to her and she's already at the door, ready to walk out. "If you're going to kill your father… I'd suggest planning this out very carefully. Because for all we know he could be plotting to kill you." This doesn't surprise me one bit. If I'm having thoughts about killing my father he's definitely having thoughts about killing his only son.

"Well…" I begin, "I knew it wouldn't be easy."

After I get dressed I walk on over to the mirror beside the window and just look myself over. My eyes trail down my out-spiked and fire-sparked shoulders and down to the black and red suit that hugs around my waist. Something shines in the mirror right beside my hand, but it's not the printed reflection of the flames on the cuffs of my sleeves. It's the snake ring. I take my eyes off of my refection and look down at my real hand. The artificial flecks of fire reflecting off of my shoulders seem to spark the ring, turning the silver into a tint of red. I twirl the ring back and forth on my finger with a soft sigh. Suddenly, I hear the door creek open behind me and I pick my head up to the mirror and lowering my hand back down to my side.

Behind me I see Juniper reappearing with Sasha around her shoulders. I don't talk to her. Instead I turn my eyes away from her reflection. Am I having doubts with the thought of murdering my father? Absolutely not. I'm just afraid of the fight I'm going to have to put up in order to go through with this plan. I know more people will die and that's something I can't help. But I can still try to prevent it.

Juniper grabs my shoulders from behind and I look back up into the reflection at her touch. She moves a hand in front of me and brushes away a stray lock of blond hair that was falling into my eye.

"No red dye?" I ask softly.

She shakes her head. "I want this interview to be more about you and Harry. Not so much the look."

"So I'm guessing Sasha won't be with me either?" I look at the snake around her shoulder, but Sasha just sticks her tongue out at me. Juniper shakes her head.

I say nothing and look back down at the ring. Images of Pansy start flashing through my mind. But none of them are good. I see her laying, chest cut open with Goyle leaning over her, heart in hand. Now I see her in the hovercraft when I went to get Harry back. I shut my eyes at the thought of her. I keep forgetting she's gone. Like I'll go down to that interview just like the first time and she'll be there. I even feel like she'll be there when I get home, arms stretched out, wrapping me in one of her big hugs.

"Draco?" Juniper gets in front of me, but I don't look up at her. Instead I just stare at the ring on my finger. "I miss her."

She tilts my head up and I try so hard not to let the tears fall. "I know…" She says calmly, and puts her hand over the ring, shielding it from sight. "We need to go." I nod and watch her as she heads to the door. But my eyes catch my refection again. Something about myself seems… different. When I look into this mirror, I don't see that scared and terrified boy anymore. I look different – I feel different. Not scared or terrified. Yes… I am afraid. But there's something else that over powers the fear I'm feeling. I think of Pansy again and my hand instinctively goes to the ring. It's courage. I feel brave and I've never felt like this before. I can do this. I can end this. And I'll do everything in my power to finish it for good.

Juniper leads me down to the same stage as my first – and what I thought was last – interview. There's hardly anyone backstage – only Snape and Umbridge. I get a shiver down my spine. Last time we were here this room was full of tributes. Now there's just me. I'm guessing Harry is on the other side. Snape probably has a "dramatic" plan to have us meet up on the stage. And he does not look happy – he never looks happy.

Juniper stops walking once I'm standing beside Snape. "This is where I take my leave. I'll be right in the front, Draco." I wonder if she can tell that I'm not all that nervous. I just nod and rub Sasha's head before she turns to leave. The roar of the crowd is getting louder with the amounts of people that keep pouring in. Gildroy isn't on stage yet, but knowing him, he'll make a dramatic entrance as well.

Snape grabs my arm roughly, but I don't think it's intentional. Something is still offbeat about him, so I don't complain.

"Listen to me." His eyes are dead set on that stage.

Uh, oh… this can't be good. I was waiting for a pep talk from him, but I never really thought about what he might say.

"They're not happy with you, Draco. Not one bit."

I try to force back a laugh. Well, duh, I snuck my wand into the arena, breaking probably one of the biggest – if not – the biggest rule. "They wanted to see Goyle tear me apart that's why. Are they just pissed because I didn't die? Because Goyle didn't give them the show he promised?"

Snape shoots me a look and it's this sudden moment I realize the real damage I've done. My face goes straight – whipping away any humor I had. I've never seen Snape look so austere. What did I do?

"This isn't a joke!" His voice is soft but to me it rattles my bones with a chill. I swallow hard and look straight at the stage. "What do I do? They hate me don't they?"

"Your father is fumed. And let me just say the third annual Games will be like nothing you've ever seen."

I shoot my eyes up at him. I want to tell him there won't be a third annual Games, because I'm putting an end to this, but I don't. I just glare up at him, "I thought you were on my side!"

"I…. I am… But-"

The crowd starts screaming and Gildroy get to the stage with a spotlight shining on him. Now I'm started to shake with anxiety. What the hell do I do now!?

"They're going to start searching the Tributes. They won't give them their jackets until they get to their stylists. That's all I can tell you. If I say anymore I could be..."

"Killed…" I conclude. He shuts his eyes in agreement. I know they're more he's not telling me. I guess I'll have to figure out for myself.

"Snape… what do I do? What do I do about my dad… about Harry…"

He turns to face me, "You put on the biggest show you can imagine. Make them believe that you couldn't last a second without this boy around you if you didn't do something." He pauses and looks out to the stage where Gildroy is bowing to the audience. "Tell them you would have killed yourself if you didn't do something. That a single moment in your life without Potter would have killed you anyway."

I can see Harry on the other side now. He's talking to McGonagall – his mentor – or rather she's talking to him. He's wearing a snow white suite – nothing but white. And he's looking right at me, but he looks stern and stiff. Is McGonagall telling him everything Snape is telling me? I try to force him a smile but my lips don't work.

"When Gildroy calls you two out, run to him." Snape says. I just nod. Anything – I'll do anything to keep the suspicion down.

"Snape?" I say as Lockheart begins to talk about the Games, anticipating the audience for our appearance. Snape doesn't answer, but I know he heard me. "What about my wand?" Before my surgery they confiscated it, but I have no idea where it is now.

"Your father has it."

"Harry and Draco to the stage!" At Lockheart's announcement, I feel my heart drop to my stomach.


End file.
